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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28822668">A Fullmetal Syllabus</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wingedchester_67/pseuds/Wingedchester_67'>Wingedchester_67</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, More lessons to be added later, edwin only briefly though, its called a syllabus for a reason, like yule ball only</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:15:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,834</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28822668</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wingedchester_67/pseuds/Wingedchester_67</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alchemy is first and foremost a science. There's a lot about Alchemy and not a lot of time to get through it all, so let's get the lesson started shall we?</p><p>A collection of short stories featuring lessons I believe would be taught at the appropriate age levels if Ed was sent to teach Alchemy at Hogwarts. Assume this is some sort of AU where Ed ages slower so he doesn't start teaching them when he's 12 or something and finishes at 18. Say he starts teaching at 18 and finishes at 23 but the Promised Day still happens whenever he finishes teaching on the side.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>175</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue - The Alchemy Elective</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I've always wanted to write a FMA insert fic into HP. And I have some VERY VERY VERY extensive notes and happenings that I've had in a fic notes doc for ... no joke since 2014. But whenever I write the fic, I always want so very badly to focus on the lessons and the structure for an Alchemy elective, and while some happenings at Hogwarts at various years piqued my interest to write about, I'd always come back to the lessons. So I decided instead of a full comprehensive insert rewrite of the HP series, to instead present a series of short stories focusing on certain lessons Ed may have given instead, or focusing on his life at Hogwarts outside of the happenings in the books.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The Alchemy classroom was an unusual place, even for Hogwarts, in that it was quite possibly one of the least magical rooms of the entire school. For one, bookshelves lined more than half the classroom. Books towered in big columns of half-read reading material on aged wooden tables that were graffitied with doodlings of runes and formulas. There were no desks and instead there was an assortment of chairs, from slouchy bean bags to couches, armchairs, stools, and at the teacher’s desk sat a grotesque gothic throne that was imposed over the whole scene. The other half of the classroom was set up something similar to a scientist’s playground. Cabinets thoroughly stocked with materials all meticulously labelled. Block of cedarwood, five kilograms. Cast Iron tools, assorted. Vinegar, two litres. A collection of various minerals, liquids and canisters of gasses. Chlorine gas, dangerous!!! With three exclamation points and a comic skull etched onto the label. There was also a wide array of measuring tools, scales and measuring classes, pipettes and flasks. Most anything you could wish for in a chemistry set was here. There was even a little show floor that was thoroughly dusted over with chalk from repeated use which was pockmarked with dents and chunks missing from various transmutations over time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The double chalkboard at the front was one of those fancy interchangeable ones with a top board and a bottom board, where if you pulled the top board down the bottom would go careening up to the top of the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The top board was written on exactly once, and only once at the beginning of the Alchemy professor’s employment, before being banished to the top half of the wall. The official reasoning was because it detailed the most important rules under which the Alchemy classroom must abide by. But rumour has it that the real reason was that the Alchemy teacher will never admit that he accidentally sent the board to high up the wall, and his small stature made it impossible for him to fetch the board back down for further use, as the Alchemy teacher was an odd fellow, and never busied himself with that ‘silly wand waving’ as he called it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alchemy elective students themselves, well, if they survived into the fifth year under the strict tyrant's reign of the Alchemy professor that is, were an odd lot themselves. For one, they had a strong mettle calibre. They had to put up with the hardships of work and honest effort without magic. For it was the Alchemy teacher’s philosophy that magic and Alchemy doesn’t make you special. Humility was drilled into you in your first year as an Alchemy student, sometimes forcefully, and rumour has it for the stubborn ones, on an abandoned island out on the Black Lake with your wands confiscated. For it was the professor’s belief that alchemists are only human after all. He believed that when given the gifts of creation and destruction at their disposal, and even with the gift of magic, man was in danger of believing himself to be special, somehow better than his peers. Perhaps even believe himself to be a god. That hubris was quickly nipped at the bud in the Alchemy classroom. The Alchemy professor promoted Muggle labour to not only better his students physically, but also to promote understanding and appreciation for the hard work that those without alchemical talent or magical ability have to go through that is alleviated with magic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Secondly, the students had to have strong mental fortitude. As any Alchemy student worth their salt would tell you, Alchemy was first and foremost a science. It was book report day, every day. And homework was nothing short of ludicrous. Students have often described it as comparable to making a job as a bookkeeper for the Ministry of Magic seem like a holiday in comparison. It required a vast array of chemical and physical knowledge and just a touch of ingenuity. Most students at Hogwarts were simply not fit for the studying life required. Some even had to drop other electives to fit in all the time required to study the more complicated branches of Alchemy for their OWLs. In other words, all the Alchemy students were top of the line nerds, and would often be found with their noses in books with at least five more tomes stacked around them in various states of reading completion whilst reciting chemical equations in their sleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thirdly, Alchemy students were in many respects, amateur philosophers in their own right. Governed over the law of equivalent exchange, Alchemy students were all too often confronted with the questions of creation, destruction, and rebirth. They were challenged in class to question the philosophy of their own magic, to question the ethics of transfiguration, conjuring, and banishing. It was all very over the heads of the major student populus, but Alchemy produced some of the most thought-provoking students to ever walk the walls of Hogwarts, and indeed the Wizarding World. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door to the teacher’s office was guarded by two gaudy gothic gargoyle statues and a large painting of a suit of armour surrounded by cats. People speculated as to the title of the piece, as the Alchemy Professor never divulged it’s name. It was a rather friendly and helpful painting, offering bits of advice and correcting students, and then scolding the professor for being too harsh on the children when things got a bit too intense in the Alchemy classroom. It was almost like a kinder teacher’s aid. Students had taken to calling it the “Fullmetal Alchemist” after the full suit of metal armour he sported. When addressed with the name over study period, the suit of armour cracked a jaunty laugh and told the students to never say the phrase around their teacher, lest they incur his short temper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alchemy classroom was a place hardly any students ever managed to venture into. One would think it would be laden with Ravenclaws, but this was not the case. For many a Ravenclaw took too much pride in their own wit and intelligence, without much wisdom, and many were too prideful to take on the art of Alchemy. One might think then that Hufflepuff would find a home here, with their hardworking souls and humble beginnings. But many Hufflepuffs merely appreciated the art and found that the practice was not for them and were not too proud to admit defeat upon the onslaught of neverending studies that would await an Alchemy student. One might think then, that perhaps Slytherin, with their affinity for ambition to study the art, and favour with the Potion’s Master would have an easier learning curve transitioning into Alchemy. To an extent, this was true,  that the art of Potions could somewhat ease the practical side of Alchemy by emphasizing the fine art of measuring and equation making. But the humility and philosophies of embracing of Muggle culture often caused them to reject the study, calling it inferior and even delusional. Who would dare to look at the world through the lesser lens of the ungifted and untalented? Then perhaps Gryffindor, home of the brave and daring, who would fight for the weak, would best suit the art, where one must see the world through the eyes of the simple man and serve him where he cannot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they would quickly find that those who wish to be heroes, might not always find themselves the most applied to the scholarly life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So who studied Alchemy you might ask?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Students. Students studied Alchemy. The scholars, those who wished to pursue knowledge shall receive it. In the Alchemy classroom, contrary to what was written on student timetables, they were no Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. For an alchemist is only a man, and never anything more than a man. To be an Alchemist student, one must almost renounce their house values in humility. So in the classroom, you will see students working together, without any house resentments. Leave your theatrical house dramas at the door, please and thank you. The Alchemy professor proved to be a pain to work around, insisting that he rotate his timeslots so that a classroom wouldn’t only ever have Gryffindors and Slytherins working together, but that next week the Slytherins might study with the Hufflepuffs, perhaps the Ravenclaws could learn about Botanical Alchemy with the Gryffindors. It was a place for universal cooperation, and they would even have students from all year levels, and all four houses participate in school trips on occasion, to learn and philosophize together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alchemy classroom was an unusual place for sure, which is why it was a shame it would be soon retired. The professor had received an owl that morning. It was a summons from his superior officer. The day of reckoning was upon them, and his presence was needed for the coming fight. As a parting message, the professor had taught his students one final lesson. That to be a State Alchemist, was a disservice to the name of Alchemy. Alchemist, be thou for the People. And nothing was more unforgivable than to take this gift, intended to help others through the power of creation, and use it for destruction and further a tyrant’s reign.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Become better Alchemists than he was, even if they weren’t the most talented, even if they weren’t the smartest, fastest or strongest. Always remember, to be thou for the people.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The First Lesson, and Equivalent Exchange</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Introduction to the Fundamentals of Alchemy, and a coda scene to one of the chapters from the Goblet of Fire.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Their first Alchemy lesson was always memorable for Hermione Granger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elective hadn’t been offered at Hogwarts in decades, the last Alchemy professor having left in 1903, a professor by the name of Lyra Dante. Amestris, the country from which all the most advanced modern Alchemists hailed from, why even Nicholas Flamel had done his primary studies in the country, had called back all their Alchemists at the turn of the century.<br/></span>
  <span>Their country had been in an unprecedented state of war, and all Alchemists were called back, lest any of them went rogue and divulged their state secrets to their enemy warring states. In other words, Amestris didn’t trust Britain. Not that anyone could blame them, given Britain’s reputation for colonisation at the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Therefore, the arrival of the great esteemed State Alchemist, Edward Elric, was met with a small fanfare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Youngest State Alchemist in the military ‘e is,” Seamus had said over the virulent clapping. “They say he took down a Chimera with one ‘and tied behind his back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Being the resident, unparalleled bookworm of the castle, Hermione had, of course, studied up all she could on the subject of Alchemy before enrolling herself and her friends, much to Ron and Harry’s chagrin, into the subject. After all, Harry had aspiring dreams of becoming an Auror, and potions was a must to apply. Alchemy at the very least would make for an excellent accompanying subject to boost his Potions grades, more useful than Divination ever could at least. And Ron would have mindlessly enrolled anywhere Harry enrolled anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The class hadn’t started yet, and eager to make a good first impression, Hermione was quickly skimming through the assigned textbooks for the class. She had looked up disinterestedly when Harry and Ron joined her. They were busy consoling Neville, who had just escaped the Potion’s dungeon after having melted his sixth cauldron and receiving detention with Professor Snape.<br/></span>
  <span>Then, the school clock tower chimed, signalling the beginning of class, and yet their Alchemy professor was nowhere to be seen. Hermione had glanced around anxiously. They weren’t somehow in the wrong classroom were they? Had there been an announcement on the noticeboard she had missed?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Professor Elric, is he late?” she had asked. However, none of her peers seemed terribly interested in the whereabouts of their missing professor and simply began to lounge around as if it were a free period.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t be surprised.” Pansy Parkinson sneered. “I heard the new professor’s another bookworm. As if this castle needed another one besides Granger. I saw him reading in the library when he forgot to go teach his sixth-year class first period. Madam Pince said he’s got the most extreme case of selective hearing she’s ever seen when he’s got his nose in a book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ignoring the taunting from the Slytherins, Hermione fussed about herself double-checking their timetables, despite every other fourth year being present in the classroom indicating they were indeed at the right class at the right time, she was pedantic in cross-checking there hadn’t been some error they had all simultaneously missed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don't suppose he's forgotten about us, has he?" asked Ron in alarm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Harry could respond, the students were interrupted from their gossiping with a loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>bang!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Of the door slamming open, that rang through the classroom that was soon followed by the sound of an echoing, uneven gait. The stomping of footsteps, one stride reasonably light but childishly petulant, the other harsh, loud, hollow and echoey. Like a great mechanical beast prowling the castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With an air of cocky and almost childish touchiness, their short-statured professor stalked into the room. He was picking at his teeth with his gloved hands. His hair was long, golden and worn in a low braid. He wore a great, billowing, gaudy red coat that swished around him as he stomped. His boots were thick platforms, and a silver chain was hanging off a loop of his black leather pants. All in all, he looked a bit frazzled than your average professor. If Hermione didn't know any better, she'd say that the alchemy professor looked more like a mopey teenager who hung about the bus stops up to no good at the local Muggle neighbourhoods more than he looked like any sort of wizard she had ever seen. He was surprisingly young, Hermione hadn’t gotten a great impression of him when he was introduced at the Welcoming Feast, but the young professor seemed much more like a seventh year than a seasoned officer of the military. He was also unquestionably, unexplainably in charge. He carried an air of not quite authority in the traditional sense of undisputed respect like Professor McGonnagal or Professor Snape. Rather, the respect he demanded was similar to Harry. A teen leader of a ragtag team of peers who was the unspoken leader of the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright brats, I’m here, I’m here, don’t go worrying your silly little heads about it. Your Alchemy professor didn’t die in a ditch somewhere," he said in a dismissive tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The short-statured blonde yawned as he walked, like he’d rather still be in the library than here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The students shuffled their seats, creating a wide berth for the irritable teenager(?) who stalked through their ranks to the front of the classroom, where a mundane oak office desk was contrasted by the imposing decorative gothic throne with spiked skulls on the armrests and all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The students eyed him warily with wide eyes. Neville, never one for scary teachers, squeaked a bit as he overstepped his seat shuffle to make way for the passing professor, and tipped over his chair on top of his twisted up cauldron in a clutter. The Alchemy professor paused in his prowl, noticing the disruption as he approached the now nervous Gryffindors. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neville sniffled and apologised profusely. The Alchemy professor stopped him mid-apology however, and held out his hand to help him up. Awkwardly, he had offered his left hand, and so Neville quickly apologised before grasping with the correct hand and accepted the kind gesture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened? Why’re you crying? I hate it when people cry.” the Alchemy professor said. He put on an air of annoyedness, but there seemed to be an underlying sincerity to the remark. Like it wasn’t the crying itself that bothered the professor, rather the fact that someone had gone and made Neville cry that annoyed him. Neville tried to respond, but his trembling lip made it impossible for him to get out enough syllables beyond senseless aborted sentences.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s noth- noth- I- Snape- he.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The professor jerked his head at the other three Gryffindors. “What is crybaby here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> saying?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione shook her head sympathetically. “Sorry professor, Neville gets nervous easily. It’s Professor Snape. We’ve just had Potions, and Neville’s upset because Professor Snape gave Neville detention for melting his cauldron.” she helpfully indicated the sad twisted bits of melted slag that Neville now carried with him in place of his cauldron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde cocked an unamused eyebrow. “And he couldn’t just fix it with a spell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione shook her head. “No sir, no repair spell could fix something so thoroughly destroyed using malfunctioning magic. Some forms of unbridled, uncontrolled magic, like that of an especially inexperienced wizard, corrupts the things they touch, and so spell could ever reverse it.” She then frowned in puzzlement. As a professor at Hogwarts, shouldn’t Professor Elric know basic facts like this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Elric made a “Ttch,” sound with an unimpressed eye roll and a click of his tongue. A scowl marred his face as Hermione swore she heard him mutter, “figures their fancy magic can’t fix something as simple as this” before he procured a thick stick of chalk from the thick of his cloak. Without hesitation, much to the amazement of his students, he then produced a perfect circle on the floor of his classroom without the aid of magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The professor then began to adorn the circle with what appeared to be runes. Not too long later, with a speed that spoke of years of practice and experience, and the class had a symmetrical array of sorts on the floor in front of them. Hermione recognised some of the symbols from her Ancient Runes Studies. That triangular rune, for instance, she recognised as the symbol for Earth. And that rune there, stood for tin. However, she could not make any sense of the reason for the layout or patterning of the runes, despite her reading all about the subject of Alchemy beforehand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The professor held out a gloved hand to Neville expectantly, who looked back with a blank, teary-eyed stare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well don’t leave me waiting until the sun goes down, hand over your cauldron!” he testily demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neville startled and fumbled over himself before handing over the mangled remains of his cauldron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Elric took the sad looking pieces of metal in hand and placed them in the middle of the array, while Harry, Ron and Hermione had looked on at the display with an ever-increasing ring of curious stares from around the classroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this all of the pieces of the cauldron?” the professor asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded. “That’s all of it. I helped him clean up myself, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Professor nodded in turn. “Alright, class. Gather ‘round, prepare to be amazed and all that junk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the rest of the class had gathered around sufficiently to satisfy him, the young professor cleared his throat with the confidence of a showman. With a dramatic flourish of his fingers, Professor Elric touched his hands to the edge of the circle. The resulting brilliant blue and white glow and crackle of energy shocked a gasp from the closest students, and soft “Ahs” from the rest. Without so much as the presence of a wand, the glow ended just as quickly as it had begun, and in the centre in pristine condition like it was straight from the factory line itself, was a flawless pewter cauldron. Well, aside from a few … additions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that… a chimaera skull on the front of that cauldron, Professor?” asked Ron hesitantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Not a fan?” taunted the teen, who in Hermione’s opinion was enjoying the spectacle far too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If- if you would be so kind professor,” started Neville, who had plucked up the courage at some point to speak in complete sentences. “As grateful as I am that you fixed my cauldron, Gran is gonna kill me if I come back home with it looking like that. Could you maybe … turn it back to normal?” he finished with a squeak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Elric rolled his eyes. “Typical, you cross to the other side of the world and the people still don’t have any taste.” The fourth-year students looked to each other dubiously at their Alchemy professors … interesting decor tastes. It explained the garish throne in the room at least.<br/></span>
  <span>This time with a lot less grandeur, the professor simply touched the edges of the circle, and a quick flash later, a standard size two pewter cauldron stood in its place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Professor took the cauldron out of the circle and pushed it into Neville’s arms, who accepted it gratefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There you go kid, no more crying okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“T-thank you again, Professor,” Neville sniffed, wiping his face clear of any remaining tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The class began murmuring excitedly among themselves at the impressive display. Magic without the use of a wand? As far as Hermione knew, only very high-level wizards could accomplish such a feat. Finally, a practical application for her Ancient Runes studies class that didn’t involve reading archaic poems from the Middle Ages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The professor introduced himself again easily, asking them to refer to the young professor as “Ed”, “Edward,” or “Professor Elric.” He established a few house rules, stating that his classroom would operate on a principle of something he called ‘Equivalent Exchange,” where if he was willing to teach the classroom, he expected the students to respect him enough to actually try and learn something in return. He also extended this principle to social manners, proclaiming proudly that ‘If they didn’t narc on him to his fellow professors that he was cussing in the classroom, he wouldn’t tell off the students for doing the same,” so long as the coarse language was restricted to these four walls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first part of their first lesson, was elaborating on the Law of Equivalent Exchange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Law of Equivalent Exchange.” Elric had proclaimed, writing it on the board in large, capital letters and underlining it. “Not just a rule of the classroom, but in fact the first, and most important rule of which, all Alchemy must follow. Can anybody tell me what it means?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Elric looked about in disappointment, as typical of a classroom of teenagers, classroom participation was lacklustre and only the bushy-haired Hermione had her hand raised, eager to please.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, it’s not that hard. It’s even in the name. Just a guess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the stubborn inertia of the class, Edward sighed and pointed to Hermione. “You, with the eager eyes that remind me far too much of a mechanic from home when she reads a book about prosthetics, want to tell me what you think it means?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The comment about the mechanic meant nothing to Hermione or her peers, but she was ready and loaded with an answer she hoped would make their new professor happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Equivalent Exchange is the philosophy of balance that all Alchemy must follow.” Hermione started. “To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde nodded. “Very good, and that’s precisely what the Law of Equivalent Exchange is. Now pay attention class, because to be in my class you better know that law so well you can recite it in your sleep. The sooner you wrap your heads around this principle, the fewer headaches both you and I will get. What’s your name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Granger sir, Hermione Granger.” she beamed. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at her daily fill of vindication she so desperately seemed to crave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good work, Granger,” said Elric, before turning back to his blackboard. “Now what that means in a practical sense-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir?” Ron interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Elric responded, looking slightly irked at having to pause right before explaining the very foundation of his subject.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you going to reward her for answering your question? With like, house points or something?” he asked, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now why would I reward someone for knowing something they should have studied about before coming to class? Alchemy is a demanding subject, and I do actually expect you to read the textbooks before class. I don’t have the time, nor the patience to teach you everything from that book. The fact that none of the rest of you seemed to have so much as picked up my assigned book speaks volumes to me about your continued progress in my classrooms. Now this is the first day, so I will excuse it this time, but if none of you do any studying before setting foot in my class tomorrow, heads are going to roll. Some initiative is required to actually learn you know. So no, I’ll not be rewarding behaviour that I already expect as a norm. I will however in future instances, be taking points off for laziness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron and several other students looked scandalised that they’d be expected to put in independent study. Hermione’s bookishness was supposed to be the </span>
  <em>
    <span>exception,</span>
  </em>
  <span> not the standard for their student life at Hogwarts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione however, beamed in a sort of intellectual sadism. Finally, a subject that took learning seriously, and had high expectations for student learning. While she was a little disappointed for not getting more than praise for her hard work, it was nice that a class finally demanded a little more work from her classmates. Ron and Harry, however, harboured no such sentiments to the little revelation that they’d actually have to </span>
  <em>
    <span>study</span>
  </em>
  <span> now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, before I was so rudely interrupted by Ginger here,” Elric continued, “Equivalent Exchange describes the requirement that for a transmutation to occur, the end result must use the equal mass and material of the initial product. In other words, one cannot create something out of nothing, and one cannot change something into something else entirely."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elric then began to erase his blackboard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on Professor!” a Hufflepuff student protested. “Aren’t you going to wait for us to write notes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elric tutted sinisterly. “Remember what I said about taking initiative with your learning? Regular, unprompted note-taking should be part of that regimen. Don’t ask stupid questions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a frantic frenzy of scratching of quills, as students who were not Hermione Granger or a Ravenclaw tried desperately to write down what Professor Elric had described about the Law of Equivalent Exchange before it was gone entirely. He notably slowed down his erasure of notes on the blackboard, but he gleefully didn’t stop entirely. Soon, there was a freshly dusted blank slate before the young professor. Hermione rolled her eyes and grudgingly provided her notes for the Gryffindors to copy as they looked at her balefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now there are three steps in the process known as a transmutation. These are-” Ed started writing on the board, the grating scratch of chalk on the blackboard mixing in with the scratch of quill feathers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction. Comprehension is fully understanding the inherent structure and properties of the atomic or molecular makeup of a particular material to be transmuted, including the flow and balance of potential and kinetic energy required to manipulate it, and what you want to transmute the material into.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For example, I know that water is a molecule made of two hydrogen atoms to one oxygen atom. I comprehend the chemical makeup of water.” Ed explained, like it was a second-year chemistry class. Harry and Hermione, as well as other Muggle-borns, were, of course, well versed in the field of basic Muggle chemistry. They could see, however, the concept flying entirely over pureblood wizards who weren’t adept in Potions heads like Ron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deconstruction is the act of using alchemic energy to break down the physical structure of the identified material into a more malleable state, so as to be easily reshaped into a new form.” Ed drew three bubbles on the board, labelling the first as comprehension, and the second as deconstruction. All the bubbles were connected to one another with a cycle of arrows. He filled in the third bubble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The last step is reconstruction. Reconstruction is continuing the flow of alchemic energy from deconstruction to reform the material into its new desirable shape or form,” he said, accentuating his sentence with a tap of the stick of chalk as he quickly erased the diagram, much to the dismay of the students slower with taking notes, and began recreating the array he had used at the start of the class on Neville’s cauldron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, the process of alchemy is possible through the use of transmutation arrays and circles. Once we understand or comprehend what materials make up what we are trying to transmute, we create an array using symbols that represent the physical and chemical properties of what it is an alchemist is transmuting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elric drew an arrow, pointing at the outermost ring of the circle that encapsulated the whole array. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The array is important, the outer circle represents the cyclic nature of all alchemic energy. After all, one is all, all is one. You don’t have to know what that means exactly unless you wish to truly understand alchemy to a philosophical level, we’ll get to that in due time. Point being, the circle itself is a conduit which focuses and dictates the flow of alchemic energy. It represents the cyclical flow of the world's energies and phenomena, and turns that power to manipulable ends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elric then pointed to the symbols inside the circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Inside the circle are specific alchemical runes. These runes correspond to all the different elements used in the transmutation, as well as the process the transmutation should follow, such as heat or pressurisation, thus directing the flow of natural energy into the necessary reactions for the desired transmutation effect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione was marvelled. All that detail was conveyed in a single array? It was impressively informative and concise. Unfortunately, it seemed all very complicated and confusing for the vast majority of students, who were copying notes robotically with glassy eyes, not fully comprehending everything their demanding Alchemy teacher was lecturing to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For example, this was the array I used for the cauldron belonging to Longbottom at the beginning of class. It was pewter right?” Professor Elric asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he noticed the professor looking at him expectantly, Neville nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I have it here please?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alarmed at being spontaneously called on for comment in the midst of his note-taking. Neville took a while to rifle through his things to give the recently repaired cauldron to Professor Elric. He wasn’t used to being involved in student participation if he could help it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In this example, I know that a Hogwarts student cauldron is size two, meaning that it weighs around four kilos. I know that commercial pewter is an alloy made from ninety per cent tin and ten per cent copper,” he said, sketching what Hermione recognised as an honest to god Muggle chemistry equation for calculating the molar mass of the components of pewter onto the blackboard, alongside the recreated transmutation circle Ed had used.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The transmutation circle he had used contained a mirrored u-shaped symbol with flared ends, and a large x with three lines bisecting it. The encapsulating circle also had three inverted triangles with a line bisecting the bottoms off coming out of the circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was clear that Hermione couldn’t make heads or tails of the array, but Edward could read it like a book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which means that to make a size two pewter cauldron, I need three-point six kilos of tin and four hundred grams of copper. Which, given that all of what you had given me was indeed everything the melted cauldron had turned into, should’ve been present for the transmutation. Following the Law of Equivalent Exchange, if you had given me any less, I would have been unable to remake the cauldron perfectly, needing to compensate for any loss of material by making the cauldron thinner, or a slightly smaller size, seeing as I cannot generate pewter from nothing. Thankfully, as we can see here-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward marched over to the side of his classroom that was fashioned more like a traditional lab. He went into the student cupboard and produced a set of brass scales, and what appeared to Hermione to be a cylinder of platinum-iridium used to define a kilogram. The blonde then set the cylinder on one side of the scale, and the cauldron on the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This cauldron weighs precisely four kilograms. Congratulations Mr Longbottom, you are indeed the proud owner of a perfectly repaired size two pewter cauldron.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that demonstration, Edward handed back Neville’s cauldron, which he took back with an awed face. Neville wasn’t sure he understood everything Professor Elric had lectured about, but he felt like he definitely learned … something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir,” asked Dean Thomas. Elric turned towards him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happens, if you go ahead with a transmutation, and you don’t get the calculation right? Or you try to transmute something into something else anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward gave an unexpectedly pained grin. Hermione wasn’t expecting such a mundane question to extract quite such a serious reaction from their professor. “Excellent question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wandered over to where the back of his classroom joined with his teacher’s office. The door was flanked by two large stone statues and a large painting that Hermione had noticed upon entering the classroom. Currently, the occupant of the painting wasn’t there, and the canvas only showed a background of rolling grassy hills dotted with sheep in the background. A single cat wandered around the front of the painting, meowing for the absent occupant. The hills looked serene. It must have meant something to the mysterious Alchemy Professor, however, as he traced the background reverently with his right hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In certain cases, like the classic transmutation of lead into gold, it will be possible to change the chemical makeup of a material. But in most cases, nothing will happen. An amateur unbalanced equation will result in a non-reaction. But in some cases, the more complicated Alchemy gets, it gets more sinister.” Elric spoke with a hauntedness to his words, unspoken pain and hardship laced his voice. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at one another with morbid curiosity, listening intently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Other equations ... will backfire. Horrifically. Alchemy is not a force to be trifled with,” Elric warned, not once casting his eyes back on the class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes … sometimes with the most forbidden branches of Alchemy, the equation will take its price from the Alchemist themselves. Horrific things happen to Alchemists who play god. Usually, they end up dead or horrifically maimed. Or worse. And that is why you must never, ever, ever forget one simple rule.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other with apprehension. They had no idea their elective could be so dangerous. It seemed as if Elric was speaking from some sort of personal experience. What horrors had he seen? Was it from the war in Amestris? The class listened with rapt attention, no longer were they scribbling down notes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elric turned from the painting to face the class finally, his golden eyes hardened and blank with blunt honesty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Despite being given the gift of Alchemy, the power of creation, destruction and reconstruction at our fingertips. Never presume to understand everything. We are not gods just because we can harness the powers of creation. We are all merely human, whether we are gifted with magical talent or intellectual genius. You must never challenge the laws of alchemy, for they are the very laws of nature itself. Equivalent Exchange. Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain something of equal value must be lost. Learn it, live it, don’t you</span>
  <em>
    <span> ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> forget it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, the bell chimed, startling the students and breaking the uncomfortable tension that had enraptured the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before the students could even collect their things, their professor stormed from the classroom in a swish of his gaudy red coat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Class dismissed.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>WARNING: Long A/N with a lot of meta-commentary</p><p>As I said earlier, this fic started off as an insert fic of the Elrics into one of the books and the one I had chosen to start with was the Goblet of Fire. When rereading the book to follow the series of events somewhat accurately, I noted that after their first potions lesson Neville had notedly melted down his cauldron and gotten detention with Snape, thinking this was a PERFECT opportunity to show off Ed's alchemy, similar to how we're introduced to it in the anime/manga, by using alchemy to repair. I think it's a much better display than him pulling out a spear from the ground or transmuting his arm or something flashier like that, when some of the simplest Alchemy is using existing materials to rebuild them to their former state.<br/>You don't even KNOW the extent of my notes I made to try to incorporate FMA into the HP verse guys, I looked up Harry's fourth-year class schedule to know that they had a free period after potions which is also why they immediately go to Alchemy following Neville melting his cauldron, I looked up his fourth-year Hogsmeade visits, I looked up ALLLLLL the existing Harry Potter lore on Alchemy, WHICH by the way exists in the form of a 5th year elective into 7th and has a short blurb from a book that describes it as the study of the four natural elements, wind, fire, metal, earth and water rather than as a study of chemical elements. I looked up maps of Hogwarts so I could plan which floor Ed's Alchemy classroom could be on. I did a calendar of events in the Fourth Year I wanted to expand upon. I DID A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES RESEARCH OKAY. And then I also did my year twelve chemistry homework to work out the molar mass of common substances I think would be found in Hogwarts for Ed to pull weapons out of when he got into a fight. God all this research just to sleep on this fic since 2014 before finally abandoning the idea of a comprehensive blow by blow rewrite insert crossover fic of FMA and HP to turn this fic into a series of short lesson fics spread across multiple books instead. I was a very dedicated researcher okay? This is the most extreme level of research I've ever done for fics I've written, but this hopefully gives you an idea of the research I like to put into writing and why there's like 20 fics on my gdrive from multiple fandoms that haven't seen the light of day. Apparently, I sleep on them for like 5 years before caving and reworking and publishing. As evidenced by the shift in tone in the writing being less objective from a third-person perspective, and instead delving a little more into Hermione's, you can see remnants of that influence in this chapter of it being a reworked scene from my initial insert fic. It was a pretty interesting challenge, trying to write it somewhat consistently without becoming too much of a dialogue fest. God, there is still so much monologuing in this chapter info dumping the basic world-building of the magic system in FMA. It used to be longer believe it or not, but there is literally just so much to the fundamentals of Alchemy, I couldn't possibly incorporate it all into the "first lesson" of alchemy without it just being 15 monologue paragraphs of info dumping, so I tired to just restrain myself to explaining the law of equivalent exchange without straying too far off topic into offshoot important lessons like One is All and All is One, or Alchemy Taboos, and so on. Spoiler alert, those lessons will be covered in future chapters.</p><p>Thanks very much for reading my verbose Alchemy Fundamentals infodump chapter, and putting up with my ridiculously long A/N. I appreciate YOU random reader!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The First Week, Comprehension.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Let's go through the study of Alchemy from the very basics, shall we?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Arduous didn't even </span>
  <em>
    <span>begin </span>
  </em>
  <span>to describe how much homework the new Alchemy Professor assigned. The night of the first day, Professor Elric had posted a notice on the school noticeboard after dinner announcing blanket homework for all year levels of Alchemy students to study and memorise the entire elemental periodic table, the four states of matter, and hand in a three-foot-long parchment essay detailing the works of three historically important alchemists and their contributions to the science.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Who assigns that much homework </span>
  <em>
    <span>after </span>
  </em>
  <span>class is over," Ron had moaned woefully in light of the noticeboard announcement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Harry knew it, it was the following Wednesday, and it was double period Alchemy. The first week was basically a crash course in Muggle chemistry, covering chemical bonds, ionic charges, molecule structure, periodic table group properties, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and chemical entropy. Harry felt like Elric was trying to get them to swallow chemistry textbooks as supplements. He had almost beaten several of the pureblooded wizards over the heads with said textbooks. Some students had even already dropped out of pure frustration at the sheer accelerated pace of the class. Today, the professor had them learn how to write and balance basic chemical equations for reactions and compositions for everyday objects and materials.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Comprehension,” Elric lectured, “is the first stage of the Alchemy process. Without comprehension of all factors of the transmutation, from the material, to the type of reaction you’re attempting to make, to the very molecular structure of the substance, you have no hope of so much as getting a spark out, let alone a reaction.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The classroom had been rearranged into several workstations with various substances set up around basic chemical reactions. The class was separated into groups for each workstation. On their table, Harry was working on the chemical composition for paper. Hermione was on quartz. The room seemed to heat up fifteen degrees as the observant Alchemy came over to scrutinise their work. Without mercy, Elric snatched up Ron’s quill out of his hand mid-equation and scribbled out an incorrect formula. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you intend on making chalk from limestone Weasley, you’re going to have to remember to add sulphates and water. Rock chalk may be a form of compacted calcium carbonate, but blackboard chalk is actually calcium sulphate dihydrate, or gypsum.” The professor reached into the basket of substances at their workstation and pulled out a small pebble of limestone to roll around in his gloved hand. “Know your materials, or you’ll end up exploding your first alchemic reaction like a bad potions assignment.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Professor Elric then tossed the pebble to Harry, who caught it expertly with his Seeker reflexes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Without comprehension, you can’t deconstruct something into its basic element building blocks. Without building blocks, you cannot hope to create something new. You cannot start with more than what you finish with, and you cannot finish with more than what you started with. Matter cannot be destroyed or created, only altered.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione peered over Ron’s work. She bit her lip and corrected it. Elric looked over the work and nodded approvingly. The final equation had used calcium carbonate, and sulphuric acid, resulting in calcium sulphate dihydrate, otherwise known now as gypsum, calcium sulphate and carbon dioxide.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry, who felt like he hadn't seen a multiplication symbol or fraction since he was eleven, and never been in a traditional Muggle chemistry class, had only barely managed to keep up with the unexpected influx of mathematical work. The purebloods who didn’t even know molecules existed, were left to flounder in independent study if they wanted to keep up. The students who took the third year Arithmetic elective only fared slightly better in balancing chemical equations, and Elric had instructed them to tutor their fellow students for extra house points. Slowly but surely, Harry was sure the Amestrian Alchemist was deliberately driving everybody mad. Neville had gone cross-eyed and had started trying to figure out what elements his fingernails were made from unprompted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dean and Seamus were looking dubiously at the equation Seamus had written down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think you did this one right. I think one of your byproducts is going to be ammonia nitrate. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you trying to kill us all?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Dean was asking. Harry gave the ammonium table a </span>
  <em>
    <span>wide </span>
  </em>
  <span>berth after that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Having looked over the last of the workstations, Elric then clapped his hands together, which curiously enough echoed with a pure, metallic peal that rang across the whole classroom, garnering the attention of the students.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay, listen up you miniature bastards," the Alchemy professor swore, ever eloquent with his words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elric stomped over the tables, collecting the materials they were identifying and instead replacing the material at each workstation instead with a block of plain, dark grey matter. Harry touched his hand to the curious cubes, When he brought away his fingers, they had a fine, powdery residue that stuck to them. Professor Elric dusted off his now grey-smudged-gloves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The bell is about to ring in about ten minutes to signal the second half of the double period. I think I can safely say, both you and I have had about enough Comprehension Theory for one day.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The class breathed a collective sigh of relief at the news. Finally, the never-ending flood of study showed some reprieve. Maybe Harry could finally get to close a book since the year started.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about for the second half of class, we move on to something practical for a change?” Elric proposed, drumming his fingers on the wood of the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean, we’ll actually be transmuting something?” Lavender Brown asked, eager to do something in class after the unrelenting week of crash course Muggle Sciences. It had felt a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>unmagical</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the magic school as of late ever since their school life became fifty per cent Alchemy essays.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eh, yes. But not quite,” replied the professor cryptically, much to the confusion of the class.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is that supposed to mean?” Ron whispered to his Gryffindor counterparts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now that we all understand the chemical make-up of basic materials like this two hundred gram block of charcoal here for example. And charcoal is made of what exactly?” Elric interrupted himself for this educational opportunity, awaiting an answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Carbon,” Hermione answered snappily before her hand had even finished shooting up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Precisely, Granger,” affirmed Elric. “So, now that we know all about the chemical make-up of this block of charcoal, or carbon, I want you to deconstruct it. Using Alchemy of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The students looked at one another with burgeoning excitement. They were going to be doing their first Alchemy practical! This was probably the highlight of the week bar seeing Moody transform Malfoy into a ferret.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Deconstruction is the second stage of transmutation. Think about the carbon. How is it held together? How much energy will it take to break apart the valence bonds keeping the block of carbon together? What is the molecular structure of the carbon you’re working with? It’s definitely not a crystal lattice, I can tell you that much by the fact that the carbon is taking the form of charcoal and not a diamond.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elric went to the chalkboard and sketched a few runes. “These are the runes that represent Carbon. I want each of you to make an array, and deconstruct these blocks of carbon into their individual molecules. I’m expecting by the end of the day for everyone to leave this classroom looking like a chimney sweep and requiring a lung cleansing potion from Madame Pomfrey, because it's about to get sooty in this classroom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the students clamoured amongst themselves at the high expectations, a petulant voice piped up above the din. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And, what if we can't, professor?” asked Malfoy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then don’t expect to be back in my class this Friday. I want to actually move on to reconstruction and transmuting materials back and forth between different states of matter by the end of the week. And if you can’t even deconstruct a block of fucking carbon, I genuinely doubt my ability to teach you fast enough to take your OWLs by fifth year. There is no shame in knowing when a subject isn’t right for you, so think of this as a pop quiz determining your future attendance to my class.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The students were harrowed by the news. It was quite suddenly do or die. Or rather, transmute or fail. Pick another elective, don’t let the door hit you on your way out, thank you. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elric looked around the class expectantly. “Well? What are you waiting for? Hop to it, or hop on right out the classroom door. Time is ticking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The students scrambled over themselves for the chalk, pushing and shoving to get to the front of the class to get a better look at the provided alchemy runes on the blackboard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hermione! Come on. We want to get a look at Elric’s runes!” Ron yelled, already making his way to the front. But Hermione yanked him back by the back of his robes. He looked at her in confusion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes. “Or, if you checked, we can just cross-reference it from the list of alchemy runes page of our textbooks Ronald. There’s no need to panic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ron looked sheepish at being caught having not thoroughly gone through his alchemy book yet. “Oh. Yeah. I knew that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three Gryffindors situated their seats in a small circle and placed three of the provided carbon cubes in the middle. Hermione then laid out her textbook to the appropriate pages to find the relevant runes, while Ron marked out where to sketch out three copies of the base circle on the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How big do you think the circle ought to be?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably not all that big. We only have two hundred grams of carbon, you could probably make it just big enough to fit the cube in the middle comfortably,” Hermione replied, flipping through pages in the book.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry broke his stick of chalk into two and gave the other half to Ron, and the two began drawing circles of roughly the same size to varying degrees of success.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The bloody git makes drawing perfect circles seem so easy,” Ron grumbled unhappily, before giving up and going to fetch a compass. Harry agreed, the lumpiness on his freehand circles were … unsightly to put it mildly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they were done, Hermione quickly added the runes to each of the arrays, with Harry and Ron happy to stay out of her way in case they somehow put in the wrong rune and end up turning the charcoal into gunpowder or something. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, we have our arrays. So we just … touch our hands to the edges of the circle with the charcoal in it and think about the transmutation, right?” asked Ron.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and consulted the textbook. “I think so, it’s not very clear in this book how you’re actually supposed to initiate the reaction. I think this book was published in Amestris. It’s very presumptuous at times, assuming we should just </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> how Alchemy actually works.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ron then looked at Harry, who simply shrugged. His guess was just as good as any, and the other students around them had started placing hands to circles in an attempt to start their transmutations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Figuring he may as well try, Ron made to initiate his reaction, but seemed disappointed when absolutely nothing happened. His face fell in disappointment. "What am I doing wrong? It's not working."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here, let me try,” suggested Harry, and tried his best to imitate their alchemy professor whenever he transmuted something in the classroom. He placed his hands to the edges of the circle and thought as hard as he could about the transmutation happening. He could picture it, the flashes of light, the warmth of the reaction, the cube crumbling into a fine powder. But nothing happened. Not so much as a spark.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, obviously you’re both doing it wrong. Maybe it needs a more gentle touch rather than a lousy slap.” Hermione suggested. She touched her fingertips to the array, but again, nothing happened. Hermione frowned and looked back to her textbook. “That’s strange, my array should be accurate. I’m sure I used the correct runes. Ron, are you sure the circle is perfectly symmetrical?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, from the other side of the classroom, there was a flash of brilliant blue light, and Harry, Ron and Hermione looked over, horrified at the sight of the gathering of Slytherins, all cooing at the powdered pile of charcoal dust at Malfoy's fingertips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No bloody way,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ron whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elric went to check on the resulting pile of soot, making sure it had truly been atomized and not simply crushed into a fine powder. He checked the fine powder against his glove, he even took off his left glove to roll the granules between his fingertips to assess the fineness of the powder. When he was satisfied, the short blonde nodded approvingly at the Slytherin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Great job Malfoy. Looks like at least one of you fourthies is going to make an acceptable alchemist." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The platinum blonde glowed at the compliment, as the Slytherins around him fawned all the more fervently at the praise. Finally, one of their own bested that know-it-all Granger, and in one of the most academically demanding subjects of the school too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elric then strode across the room before Seamus actually blew up something and began screaming at him about the fire rune he had added to the array because it 'seemed exciting'. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few students, including our merry trio of stung Gryffindors, approached the gaggle of Slytherins to look at his accomplishment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How in the name of Merlin's bloody underpants did you pull that off Malfoy?" asked Ron, seething at the platinum blonde.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Slytherin bore a smug grin and reclined back on his chair with barely contained ego. "Whatsamatter Weasley? Having trouble getting your chicken scratches to work? I saw you drawing it by the way. Very shoddy work by you and Potter if you asked me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Come off it Malfoy. You cheated. You must have. I can see your circle right there, and it's literally no different to ours. You must've used magic to do it." Harry accused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Malfoy pulled a condescending face at that, his eyes alight with superiority. You could practically smell the pompous air coming off from him now that he managed to outperform everyone else in the class. "God, if that's what you really think, then you really are dense. I didn't cheat, or Elric would've caught it. Magic can destroy the cubes, but it wouldn't completely atomize them to the extent that Alchemy does. So believe it or not, I actually did the work."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Our boy Draco’s just a genius,” Pansy fawned. She was practically purring, and Crabbe and Goyle nodded noncomprehensively at the success of their ringleader. Harry could have thrown up at the way draped her fingers over his arm like he was a deity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well go on then, show us how you did it if you didn't cheat. What’d you do?" goaded Ron hotly, his tone tinged with jealousy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Malfoy pretended to think for a moment, and smirked. "Pass. I don't think it's worth the effort really. Even if I showed you how, step by step, I'm not sure a blood traitor like you could really get it. It takes a brilliant scientific mind to be an alchemist after all. And I have a fine hand for potions while you and Potter don’t. Granger might have a shot at getting it, but it’s not like I’m going to consort with a Mudblood like her. If you can’t do it and end up dropping out, I won’t hold it over you.” he gave a smug grin that said that was precisely what Malfoy was going to do. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like Elric said Weaselbee, there's no shame in admitting defeat. Some people just aren't cut out for the subject."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ron was seething in his chair, practically frothing at the mouth. He got up and made to punch Malfoy across the face for his remarks about Hermione’s ‘blood purity’ and implication that he and Harry were going to inevitably be forced to drop out, but was held back by Harry his fellow Gryffindors. “Calm down Ron, or you’ll get us all into trouble!” Neville cried, as he nervously checked to make sure Elric wasn’t looking this way. Crabbe and Goyle stepped in front of Malfoy obediently, threateningly cracking their knuckles and looking generally very imposing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One swing, I don’t care if those troglodytes land me in the hospital wing, he deserves a fucking fist full of teeth!” But Harry and the other Gryffindors remained firm. With their combined efforts, Harry, Neville and Hermione were able to pull him away from the smirking blonde, giving the Slytherins a chance to make their hasty escapes, and the two factions to once more separate to opposing corners of the room. When he calmed down, Ron looked about ready to murder someone. "I'm gonna kill that slimy git. And I'm gonna use Alchemy to do it too, just to rub it in his slimy little git face. You know what we have to do now, right Harry?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" asked the black-haired boy, who until this point was only quietly miffed that Malfoy had insulted them and pulled off the transmutation with such ease while his own alchemy array remained sparkless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We've got to beat him at his own game. </span>
  <em>
    <span>'Some people just aren't cut out to be alchemists,</span>
  </em>
  <span>' we can't let him get away with that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course not,” Harry agreed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Or," Hermione said, rolling her eyes, "you could just not play at his game. You already have better grades than him in Care for Magical Creatures </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>in Defence Against the Dark Arts. It’s stupid and petty to let him irk you like this over one subject he happens to excel in. You shouldn’t force yourselves to take a subject just to prove a point."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry and Ron caught each other’s eyes and nodded decisively, their minds made up. They were united with one another on an intrinsic level, their shared bitterness for the Malfoy heir.. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry, It's a matter of principle, Hermione," Ron replied</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, Malfoy's such a smarmy ass that he made the first transmutation. Well now one of us </span>
  <em>
    <span>has </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be the first to reconstruct something next class. We can't let Malfoy think he's the best at anything. That's just morally irresponsible." Harry agreed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t forgive myself if we let him get away with it,” signed Ron dramatically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Next Alchemy lesson, we’re going to ace it in Malfoy’s smarmy face. We’re going to continue doing Alchemy even if it kills us.” Harry decided.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, we’re doing this out of spite.” Ron agreed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione rolled her eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"imbeciles," </span>
  </em>
  <span>she muttered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, in any case, there’s no point talking about showing up Malfoy in the future reconstruction class if we can’t even nail deconstruction.” she pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, where are we going wrong?” asked Harry. “Maybe there’s something wrong with the circle. Let’s try to draw the circle again Ron. Maybe it needs to be absolutely perfect. Maybe we have a slight flaw in the lines that are stopping the reaction from taking place. Like a clogged hose or something,” he suggested</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione hummed in thought. “I don’t think that’s it, but it can’t hurt to try again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They went to erase their chalk circles from the floor when a high pitched voice piped up from behind them. "Um, there's nothing wrong with the circle."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, there must be. There's no incantation to mispronounce, so the circle itself must be flawed. There’s nothing else I can really think of," Hermione reasoned. She turned to Harry, who shook his head. He wasn’t the one who said anything. Then, all three Gryffindors widened their eyes as they spun around in an alarmed circle, searching for the source of the voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Who said that?" Ron asked, frightened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They looked around themselves nervously, but all that was behind them was the towering bookshelf along the Alchemy classroom wall. The voice had sounded… young. Younger than anyone in the fourth year class anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Um, I'm over here," the voice supplied helpfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, the Gryffindors trailed their eyes and located the source of the voice. Their eyes landed on the top of the bookshelf. There, on the end of the topmost shelf, was a small moving photograph of a big white building with a verdant banner of a laurel wreathed argent dragon roaring in front of a modified auseklis hanging in the front. The building looked big and official, like some sort of military base. On the steps of the building, waved a large figure wearing a dark teal suit of armour.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi, there!" The voice sounded so young, cheery, almost child-like, and out of place coming from such a large and formidable suit of armour. Harry thought the voice also sounded echoey, almost like the suit of armour could have been hollow. But that couldn’t possibly be the case, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you mean, the circle isn't wrong?" Asked Hermione.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The slightly echoey prepubescent voice cheerfully laughed. "I meant just that. I'm an Alchemist myself actually, and I'm telling you that your circle is fine. The lines, even if they're not perfect, aren't wobbly enough to affect the circle."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. "Okay, if the circle is fine, then why won't it work? We've tried copying exactly what Professor Elric’s been doing in class, but all he does is put his hands to the edges and stuff starts glowing."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, what are you thinking about when you put your hands on the circle?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry’s brow arched in question. "What do you mean? I'm thinking about putting my hands on the circle aren't I?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, I mean what are you</span>
  <em>
    <span> thinking?</span>
  </em>
  <span>" the armoured alchemist emphasized, clarifying nothing. "You </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> thinking when you're transmuting, aren't you?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ron and Harry looked sheepish, but Hermione seemed to be nodding in understanding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I’m thinking about what I want the carbon to do of course," answered Hermione. "I'm thinking of the result of the cube turning into dust. And I'm willing the carbon to do my bidding as hard as I can." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally understanding what the armoured figure meant, Harry nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, that's your first mistake," the armoured boy chortled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione looked shocked. The three looked at one another, unsure as to what the person in the photograph could possibly mean. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're thinking about this all wrong. You're still thinking like </span>
  <em>
    <span>wizards</span>
  </em>
  <span>, where you want to </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> the things around you to do what you want, like you’re still using magic. You have to start thinking like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alchemists</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You can’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> it, you have to think about the materials and reactions doing what they are meant to do using the circle."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The teal armoured boy used his gloved finger to trace a circle in the dirt in front of his feet. Like Elric, he showed a practised hand at perfectly symmetrical circles. Ron huffed in jealousy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"When I'm doing this transmutation, I'm thinking about calling from the tectonic energy of the earth and using my Inner Gate to channel it. I'm thinking about the energy and its role in the cyclical nature of Alchemy."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He traced a large inverted triangle in the middle of the circle, with a line horizontally intersecting the bottom corner. "I'm thinking about the chemical makeup of the material I'm transmuting, the energy needed, and the reaction I need to accomplish my transmutation."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He then drew a large square symmetrically overlapping the inverted triangle. “I'm thinking of the molecules I want resulting from this transmutation, and the energy needed to stabilise them. I'm thinking about that tectonic energy running through the initial matter and jumpstarting the reaction. I'm thinking of the chemical bonds needed to break, reform and rearrange."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He finished off with the rune for carbon in the centre, ending with an array perfectly matching to the ones that Gryffindors had previously sketched out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That, is comprehension. Alchemy is a science, not magic. You can't just think 'change' and expect the reaction to work. What did you think all these comprehension lessons your teacher has been giving you this past week have been for? Comprehension is step one, and you can't fail at step one. You have to always be thinking, understand the reaction that your rune is telling the matter what to do, and understand the tectonic energy you're borrowing from the earth flowing through the circle into the reaction. Like this." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The armoured alchemist placed his hands to the edges of the circle, and inside his circle, a small depression of the earth formed as carbon was drawn from the earth encompassed in the circle, and a small, dark grey cube rose from the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trio looked on, impressed at the display.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That’s an awful lot of thinking just to get a reaction," Ron complained. "Was Malfoy seriously thinking about all that when he deconstructed the cube? I didn't think he had enough brainpower to fill a teaspoon."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry considered what the armoured boy had said, and went back to his circle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Think about the material and the reaction. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Comprehension is the first step.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He placed his hands to the circle once more. There were two hundred grams of pure carbon in this cube. Charcoal is made of amorphous allotropes of carbon molecules. Carbon is very stable by itself, and not a lot of energy is required to break apart the covalent bonds holding together the charcoal cube. Energy comes from the earth, an alchemist channels the tectonic movement of the earth’s crust as pure energy that is borrowed, flowed through the reaction, breaking apart the molecular bonds and expelled as sparks of light, heat, and then returned to the earth. Harry felt… something new awaken in him. Some new awareness, something that felt the well of unbridled alchemical energy flowing through the earth. He felt that inner ‘something’, siphon but a small drop of that well, and felt a surge of energy channelled through that awareness. Was that this 'Inner Gate' Elric and the armoured alchemist kept referring to?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he felt that rush of energy, Harry felt sparks dance across his hands as the lines of the circle suddenly lit up with a blue-white glow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cube of carbon disintegrated gradually in a tessellation of small, narrow rectangles. The process was almost beautiful to look at. And in a moment, the reaction was over. And Harry had in his circle a little pile of charcoal dust.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Harry!” Hermione exclaimed. “You did it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Good job! See, I told you, there was nothing wrong with your circle." the armoured alchemist said jovially. He clapped at the little display, happy for Harry’s first transmutation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you," Harry replied. "I don't know if I could've gotten it without your help."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, I'm sure you would've gotten it eventually. You just needed to adjust your mindset." the boy said bashfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ron allowed his grin at Harry’s success to fall and pulled a face. "That was great and all, but how are you meant to think about all that </span>
  <em>
    <span>every</span>
  </em>
  <span> time you transmute something? Harry had to think for like, two minutes before it started doing anything."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It just comes with practice and research," the armoured alchemist replied helpfully. "Once you've transmuted or understood a few common elements enough times, it makes it quicker and easier each time you want to transmute those same elements again because you've familiarised yourself to the reactions." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seems like an awful lot of work,” Ron commented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is,” the armoured boy affirmed. “But it doesn’t hurt to have a little help every now and again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry nodded. "Thanks again for helping us. I’m Harry, Harry Potter. These are my friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. What’s your name?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The armoured figure seemed to go a little shy at the introductions. "Oh, ah. You can call me Al."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Al, is that short for something? Or is your armour made of Aluminium?" asked Hermione curiously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh no, this?” the armoured boy tapped his helmet demonstrably, which rang out in a hollow(?) clang. “This is made of pure iron. Al is short for my name. But I'm not sure if my brother would be happy with me telling my name to everyone in the castle. He's very private like that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, your brother sounds very protective, Al," Hermione replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He sounds like a paranoid dick, like Percy," Ron muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry felt the hairs on the nape of his neck raise in alarm as a heavy, white-gloved hand landed on his and Ron’s shoulders. "And, what do we have here?" asked Elric, interrupting this little pow-wow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elric looked at the little crumbled remains of the cube, eyebrows raised. "Well, well, well. Good job Potter.” he said, marking Harry’s name off a list as ‘assignment completed,’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like Malfoy won't be the only one exempt from tonight's homework assignment." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You can't be fucking serious!" Yelled Ron incredulously. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"More homework?!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Seamus Finnigan: Adds a fire rune to his alchemy circle because it 'looks exciting'<br/>Ed is not impressed with your ambitions Mr. Finnigan.</p>
<p>So that's not actually the fully balanced equation for gypsum, that's actually a typical Calcium Carbonate + Sulphuric acid, which should result in calcium sulphate, carbon dioxide and WATER, but I reasoned with Alchemy, you should be able to chemically bind that water into dihydrate onto the calcium sulphate. SO I CHEATED BUT WITH REASONING OKAY. Originally, it was going to be Calcium Carbonate + Copper Sulphate.6H2O (the most common form of copper sulphate salt) to make gypsum and malachite as a byproduct, but 1 that equation was way too hard to balance and 2, what were they going to do with leftover malachite? Even if it's kind of cool to make malachite, it served no purpose to the story so I ultimately cut it to simplify the alchemic equation. Yes, Al wanders between paintings and photographs in the school from Ed's office. There's also a photo of Mustang's gang, Winry, Grandma Pinako and Den, and the Hughes family in his office.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Reconstruction, and the Triwizard Tournament</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We start to get more interesting reactions for Halloween and making actual things for a change. Ron does his first transmutation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h3>
  <span>Chapter 3 Reconstruction, and the Triwizard Tournament </span>
</h3><p>
  <span>Edward was not a fan of the Triwizard Tournament being hosted at Hogwarts. Now, not only was he to teach snot-nosed brats who before the first week of the term hadn’t so much as touched a chemistry textbook but now he also had to help play host to two other wizarding schools that would be participating in the tournament. A deadly tournament. Indeed, there were far better things to throw away your life for than some stupid glory-seeking games to determine which wizarding school’s schlong was the longest. Ed was recruited as a child soldier for his country and his best friend’s parents were killed in the Eastern conflict. Meanwhile, these wizards were sending their children into a meat grinder for entertainment, honestly. The arrival of the other two schools was every bit as political and celebrated as Ed predicted. Mustang had sent him a State uniform of all things that morning, as well as a letter informing Ed that if he heard from Dumbledore that Ed had embarrassed himself as the impromptu Amestrian Foreign Ambassador by disgracing the state by not wearing the said uniform, he could kiss his State Alchemists’ watch goodbye and expect to be court-martialed the second he steps foot back in Amestrian soil. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As such, Ed had shown up to class before dinner wearing his Amestrian uniform with his most insincere and unpleasantly twitching smile pasted onto his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If any of you little shits say one word about this I will transmute your school pets into chimaeras so help me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Careful not to comment on the formal change in the garb of their professor, the fourth year Alchemy students made sure to keep a wide berth from the irked blonde as they went over the theory of Hess' Law and Thermodynamics. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be fair, Ed wasn't fully wearing the uniform properly until he absolutely had to just yet. He wanted to put off that particular humiliation to the last possible minute. Instead, currently, he was wearing his state-issued jacket unbuttoned, exposing the plain dark t-shirt underneath, and his badges were off the lapel, obscuring his rank and title as a State Alchemist, save for the silver pocket watch which still hung clipped to Ed's belt. He wasn't a fully groomed and dressed up attack dog of the military just yet, just nearly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though, Ed didn't really see the point of dressing to impress and not make an embarrassment of himself when it seemed that requirement was not made apparent for the denizens of Hogwarts, who were free to embarrass themselves singing the school song horribly out of tune and in their own timing. Not only that, but then there was an incident the following morning where several students had openly defied their headmaster by attempting to cheat the age line restricting the age of registrants putting their name into the fancy flaming cup dubbed the Goblet of Fire, landing themselves in the hospital wing for an age restorative spell sporting elderly beards of shame. Ed personally didn't see the appeal. It was just a glorified crusty old cup performing all the duties of pulling a name from a hat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today's class was the last lesson of the day before the Halloween Feast, and subsequently the reveal of who the three school champions would be. Since it was yet another special occasion, Ed had been recommended to wear his state uniform for the second consecutive day and he had been very openly irritable about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed noticed the students were distracted, passing festive sweets as they sat whispering amongst themselves about the new foreign arrivals to the school.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, I know right now you're all feeling excited after seeing behemoth pegasi fly in a gargantuan carriage of the French and a worn old pirate ship sail in a bunch of Bulgarians, and you can't wait to see what names that old cup will spit out tonight at the Halloween Feast or whatever weird pagan festivities Dumbledore is hosting. But believe it or not I still have a class to teach, so put away the candy and crack out the textbooks because today's lesson is all about the practical for reconstruction." Ed proclaimed, tapping the third and final bubble on the familiar chart detailing the process of transmutation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hope you all did your reading on ionic bonds, cause today we'll be covering reconstruction, as well as combining molecules made of more than one type of element," Edward stated, quickly drawing a circle at the ground where he stood, and emptying a small satchel of white powder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What’s that professor?" asked Lavender.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward paused in his actions momentarily to roll his eyes. God, couldn’t the students wait for him to finish before asking silly questions?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That,” started Edward, shaking out the last remnants of the satchel, “is what you’ll be transmuting today. It’s a metallic compound. Compound, meaning made of more than one type of element, as you should all know by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried not to roll his eyes at the glazed look that passed over the students that evidently </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> read the required reading. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Just one more week,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ed thought to himself grimly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Just one more week before Dumbledore would let him start mass kicking out students for less than simply not doing the homework.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed was interrupted from beginning his lecture when a knock suddenly sounded across the room, echoing loudly from the old wooden door in the back. Ed frowned in wonderment. That was strange, he had done a headcount when he had walked in and no one who hadn't already dropped out was absent from today's fourth-year class. Perhaps it was a summons for a student to assist Hagrid in wrangling his blast-ended skrewts again. The damned fool was a madman when it came to dangerous and exciting magical creatures. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed hopped to the front of the doorway and pulled it open irritably. However, instead of being greeted by the towering, overeager face of the half-giant, Ed found himself instead face to face with a silver-haired gaunt-faced man with a respectable length beard, not overly flowing as Dumbledore's had been. The man wore a grand thick red velvet and silver bear fur cape. Behind this man was a small group of about fifteen older, surly students who looked to be about seventeen by Ed's guesstimate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah? What do you want?" Ed asked disrespectfully. He noted the Durmstrang crest fastening the cape and the headmaster's staff by the man's side. He didn't care. This wasn't an official appearance like the Halloween Feast. Mustang could threaten to court-martial him if Ed made a fool of himself at the official welcoming ceremony, but this was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> domain in </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> classroom for </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> subject. As such, he'd treat this unofficial visit with as much disdain as he very well pleases. The effect was somewhat dampened by the fact he was still wearing his military uniform rather than his usual intimidating attire, but he liked to think his unfriendly demeanour more than made up for the lack of disrespectful teenage edge lord wear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Bulgarian was not phased by Ed's unfriendly address. "Is this the Alchemy classroom?" he asked in a fruity, unctuous voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed instantly didn't like him. He practically stank of slimy, insincere flattery. It wasn't unlike those military suck-ups who Mustang had to step over to make his way up the Amestrian military ladder. The rats who sat in on meetings to collect intel to use as blackmail to further their own careers. The brown nosers who cowered under a stronger man's power. In other words, the Headmaster of Durmstrang reminded Ed of Lieutenant Yoki. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, this is 'Ancient Runes,'" Ed replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Yes, this is the Alchemy course. What is it?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Durmstrang headmaster snorted, not amused by Ed's antics. "I heard a formidable Alchemy Professor was hired at Hogwarts this year, I take it you are the State Alchemist Edward Elric?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You heard right, that's my name. Don't wear it out." Ed replied, rolling his eyes. He gestured behind himself to the nosy students trying to peek through the gap in the door to spy on who he was talking to. "In case you haven't noticed, I have a class of incompetent fourteen-year-olds to teach. So I'll ask again, what do you want?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The headmaster quietly chuckled in an attempt to forge some sort of camaraderie by engaging in Ed's jibes at his own students with humour. "Very well, I see you are a very focused young man, so I'll cut to the chase."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The silver-haired old coot gestured behind him at the Durmstrang students.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In my school, the seventh year Potions students are allowed to take Alchemy for extra credit. Now that I've taken my students out of our normal learning environment, I was hoping that they would be able to continue their alchemy studies outside of the country as well. I figured that for an adept alchemist such as yourself, you would have no issues teaching them in place of their normal professor."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed looked behind the headmaster to meet the surly gazes of the fifteen rather unfriendly looking students. Like they had something to prove and were looking for a fight to prove it. Edward had heard that Durmstrang was a bit more competitive with their learning due to their Headmaster being a reformed Death Eater, rather than the all-inclusive students of Hogwarts. He decided he liked these students. The lily-livered students in his class could probably use the competition.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How much do they know?" asked Edward, cross his arms. "I've just finished training up the novices so they can tell the difference between a metal and a mineral in this school. I'm not exactly in the mood to start over."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Durmstrang headmaster, his name was Karkaroff or something if Ed recalled correctly from the welcoming ceremony, grinned crookedly. "Alas, I'm afraid our Alchemy program is not nearly as illustrious as the one currently offered here at Hogwarts, and my students have only been well versed in the theory. I'm sure we'd love to sit in on the practical courses of any age group you happen to be teaching for the day. In fact, Dumbledore tells me you had planned a practical for today?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed snorted at the forwardness of the headmaster before him. He wasn't impressed with the headmaster, but it wouldn't have been fair to deny his students the opportunity to learn just because their headmaster was a slimy git. Sins of the father and the sins of the son and all that rubbish. He reluctantly stepped back and opened the door wider for the entourage of Durmstrang students to file through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, whatever. If it gets Dumbledore off my back I guess your students can sit in on the practicals or whatever. Maybe they can give notes to my students who seem to only ever want to sleep through the theory classes." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the last student walked into the classroom, there was a collective gasp from the fourth years. Ed cocked an eyebrow as he heard whispers of the name "Krum" thrown around in a frenzy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, professor. Meet my star pupil, you may have heard of him. May I introduce Viktor Krum."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed bristled as the aforementioned seventeen-year-old athletic-looking man approached to offer his hand to the blonde. He stood a good fair few inches taller than Ed and Ed didn’t like it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Charmed I'm sure.” Ed scoffed. “Now please get your students to find themselves some seats, I've got to actually get through my lesson before the Halloween Feast, " he said, turning back to his class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karkaroff once more gave that insincere chuckle and stalked out of the room. "Behave, students, I'll see you all at the Halloween Feast." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The students of Durmstrang gave a scattered, half-hearted farewell to their headmaster as he walked through the door, leaving Elric with his suddenly bigger classroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, quit dawdling. There's no such thing as seating arrangements in my class so seat yourselves wherever. I don't tolerate slacking, so as long as you pay attention in my class I think you'll find we'll get along swimmingly." Ed instructed, as the Durmstrang students predictably decided to sit at their own table, isolating themselves from the Hogwarts student body. Ed didn’t blame them. He’d feel strange sitting at the same table with kids three years his junior too if he was a seventh year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now, if what your headmaster says it's true, then you should all be very familiar with the basic laws of Alchemy, meaning I won't have to explain basic chemistry or the law of equivalent exchange to you, right?" Ed asked. He didn’t have time to go over the basics. Not again, god not again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The favourite pupil, Krum, assumed a leadership position and spoke for the foreign students. He spoke with an accent as if his words were getting stuck in his throat at times. Ed, not being a native English speaker himself, he spoke Amestrian thank you very much, took a moment to understand the Bulgarian, but it was, fortunately, clear enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We are familiar professor. We are not imbeciles. Equivalent Exchange. The Process of Alchemy. One is All, and All is One, correct?" Krum asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed nodded approvingly at the Durmstrang student. "Very good, I haven't even gotten to teaching my kids about that last concept yet. Although I suppose it's more apparent when you live in a harsher mountainous region than the remote Scottish Isles. My own teacher learnt that particular lesson in the mountains herself you know." he said, thinking of the tales of survival and bear slaying Izumi had regaled to him and Alphonse on a cold, wet winters night the week after they got off that godforsaken island.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ignored the curious looks sent his way by the amateur alchemy students who had yet to grasp this particular philosophy. Ed had purposefully not taught it to them yet. It wasn't exactly essential to understand the cyclical nature of life as parallel to the cyclical nature of Alchemy at the year level he was teaching. It was only really useful if someone wanted to become a great alchemist, not just an Alchemy student. Like when he and Al had realised they needed a teacher to become great alchemists to understand Alchemy they couldn't hope to grasp through independent study. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fantastic. Well, today we were going over the practical for reconstruction. We'll be working with compound materials."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed returned to the floor and drew up a circle he had started before the Durmstrang kids had made their appearance. As he finished sketching the final rune, Ed was struck by a sudden sense of sadism. Edward decided to call upon one of his seemingly less attentive students “You there,” he said suddenly, as he pointed at the gangly limbed ginger who sat next to that black-haired kid all the teachers gossipped about in the teacher's lounge and the bushy-haired girl who actually seemed to do Ed’s assigned reading.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron nearly fell out of his seat at being suddenly called upon. He had been trying to discretely finish his Potions essay under the desk he had put off in favour of finishing yet another Alchemy worksheet Elric had assigned them just yesterday. He had begun falling behind on homework in other classes just to prioritise Alchemy and not get kicked out of the class, but Ron was adamant that he not give Elric an excuse to dismiss him. Not if he could wipe that smug look off of Malfoy’s face every time he managed to keep up with the Alchemy classes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-yes professor?” Ron yelped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed tapped the floor with the toe of his boot. “Read the runes. What am I transmuting today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron started to consult his textbook when Ed stopped him, placing his gloved hand on top of the tome and lowering it from Ron’s nose. “Without checking your textbook, if you please,” he said, with an evil-looking grin on his face. "Unless you're telling me you can't, and you'd like for me to get one of the Durmstrang kids to read the circle instead?" Ed sent a sharp look to the table of Durmstrang students. "You can read Alchemy runes, can't you?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course professor," answered Krum breezily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron turned white as a sheet of paper, put on the spot and potentially about to be humiliated in front of his Quidditch idol and broke out into a cold sweat. “U-um. I-I think that’s the rune for s-silver, Professor?” he said hesitantly, pointing at the main rune in the centre which resembled the waxing crescent moon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great, now why do I have this air rune on either side of the silver rune?” Edward asked devilishly, deliberately pointing out the elephant in the room that Ronald had only identified part of the array before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione shot her hand straight up into the air, eager to answer where Ron was struggling, but Edward gave her a sharp, withering look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nobody help him, I want Ginger to do this himself.” Ed crouched down beside Ron’s chair “Come on Weasley, I heard word on the student gossip grapevine you wanted to stay in the Alchemy course pretty badly. Why don’t you prove your mettle right now and show me you’ve opened a book since stepping foot in my classroom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron was confused. Why was the alchemy professor all of a sudden picking on him in class? Sure he hadn't been the most outstanding student but he was no slouch in class as of late either. He was pretty sure Neville had more problems than him translating Ancient Runes. However, Edward was now looking at him expectantly, and so Ron’s brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to figure out the makeup of the chemical in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry winced in sympathy. He didn’t have the slightest clue what they were looking at. There were a lot of compounds that ended up as white powders if you ground it into dust. It could’ve been anything. But something containing silver? The Durmstrangs were starting to look bored, it seemed as though they had already translated the rune. Though, Harry wasn’t too surprised. They had three years of learning ahead of the fourth year students after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a minute of reasoning, Ron looked up at Edward with realisation in his eyes. “Is that Silver Oxide, sir?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only slightly disappointed he couldn’t thin the ranks of his classroom today, Ed gave a rare affirmative smile at the redhead. “There you go. That wasn’t so hard was it Weasley?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, that’s not the only reason I have this air rune written here.” Ed clarified, tapping the inscriptions on the edges of the circle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are these inscriptions on the sides of the circle, Durmstrang?" Ed asked, making sure the Durmstrang students weren't merely bluffing and really could read alchemic arrays.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They identify the types of gases used in the transmutation, professor," answered Krum, unphased at the question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed nodded, “Correct. Apart from the oxygen in the silver oxide, we’re going to be transmuting some hydrogen from the air today.” Ed waved his hand in a vague circle at the air above the Alchemic array.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can just transmute stuff in the air, sir?” asked a Ravenclaw, astounded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you can,” answered Edward matter of factly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, did you think everything that’s transmuted has to be contained on the inside of the transmutation circle?” Ed snorted. “God no, that’d be pretty inconvenient to draw up a circle big enough to contain something like what the Colonel does,” Ed said. At the blank looks his students gave him, Ed remembered he wasn’t in Amestris and not everyone had heard of the terrifying power of the Flame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The Colonel’s the Flame Alchemist. He transmutes a path made of concentrated combustible gases from his ignition gloves to his target, which can reach staggering distances. It'd be pretty fucking inconvenient if he had to draw a circle containing the whole damn path from one side of the building to the other every time he wanted to transmute something.” Ed explained. The Bulgarians seemed unphased by the impromptu cussing. “It’s the same principles that let me do this,” Ed said, demonstrating by pulling out a sheet of paper with an array on it and a flask from the student cupboard. A flash of light later, and the air around the classroom suddenly felt slightly drier and the flask was half full of newly condensed water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now,” Ed said, swirling the water in the flask for dramatic effect. “There are limits, it’s not Alkahestry after all, but yes you can pull hydrogen gas from the air around us,” Edward said, setting the flask back into the centre of the circle and transmuting the water in the flask back into its vaporized form.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, as for the shape of your silver, I don’t want atomized silver particles like your deconstruction transmutation practicals,” Ed clarified, pacing around the room handing out the little satchels of silver oxide powder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be pretty fucking unimpressive for making silver. So I want you to actually put the silver back together into some sort of recognisable form. Of course, the Oxygen is going to have to go somewhere, so we’ll be using the Hydrogen molecules from the air to react with the Oxygen in the Silver Oxide to form Silver metal and water vapour.” Edward explained. “So It’ll be a little bit tricky, because you’ll need to be thinking about transmuting both a solid and a gas at the same time, but you’re the bright, shining, plucky futures of wizardkind, I’m sure you can handle it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed had now circled back to the front of the class after distributing the bags of silver oxide, and clapped his hands together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you manage to pull off this reaction right, I want you to be able to do this,” he said and brought his hands to the edges of the circle. The floor lit up with the now-familiar blue glow, as the chalk circle flowed with energy from the Gate. When the light subsided, in the centre of the circle now lay a single silver coin. It was pristine and shone brilliantly, catching the light like a mirror. The Durmstrang students watched, fascinated at their first demonstration of practical Alchemy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not enough for a Sickle I’m afraid,” Ed said, collecting the small coin into his hands, flipping it into the air and catching it with a deft flick of his wrist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’m not so generous to be just giving out silver sickles to my students willy nilly,” he said warningly, as he saw several students looking at each other, no doubt conspiring to pool their transmutations into useable currency and have a nice time out at their next Honeydukes trip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I will be weighing the silver at the end of this class. If so much as a gram of silver is missing, everybody will be enjoying detention and I’ll be taking the perpetrator or perpetrators to abandon them on a deserted island. So don’t even think about stealing from me, got it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The class looked disappointed at that, but didn’t otherwise respond and Edward scoffed at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>got it?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes Professor Elric,” the students mumbled detestedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, now get to work you thieving cretins,” Ed dismissed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward was overseeing the other students making sure no one was doing anything stupid that could hurt anybody. Things like making sure Seamus wasn’t introducing any ... </span>
  <em>
    <span>adventurous </span>
  </em>
  <span>chemicals and enduring Malfoy’s incessant bragging about his fine hand suited to the art of Alchemy. The Durmstrangs were shadowing the professor, hanging on to his every word as they theorised about performing their own practicals. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at the small pile of powder in the middle of their chalk circle. The small pile of Silver Oxide powder that was stubbornly refusing to transmute, and not for lack of trying on their part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry groaned in frustration at the fruitless attempt at transmutation yet again as the blue-white glow died down revealing the untouched pile of deconstructed silver oxide molecules.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s still not working,” he complained. “This is the fifth circle we’ve tried. I don’t get what’s wrong this time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione sighed and sat back down, tired of wracking her brain thinking of the transmutation process over and over again over their last few attempts. “Okay let’s just stop and think over this again, we’re probably doing something fundamentally wrong just like last time.” Hermione surmised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three consulted their books again, trying to think over every aspect of the transmutation and what they were missing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you’re there’s hydrogen going into this transmutation? Like, is there a way to concentrate the hydrogen and keep it in place? Just so we make sure it’s actually going into the reaction.” Ron suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be silly Ron. A transmutation just needs to be in the room to affect the air concentrations. Professor Elric just told us that’s how the Flame Alchemist works, remember?” Hermione scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we could try asking the Durmstrangs what they think. I mean they’ve got three years on us, maybe they know what’s wrong.” Harry suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione bit the inside of her cheek in consideration. “No, I don’t think they know either. Look over there, they’re trying their first circles and it's not working for them either. I think we’re on our own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s that picture of the armoured kid when you need him?” Ron sighed, as he looked around the portraits for the tall painting. However, the frames around the classroom remained empty, save for a few stray cats that meowed at them as Ron glared at the absence of the armoured boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t rely on him forever, you know Ron, we do actually have to do our own learning from time to time.” Hermione scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay then, let’s try to look at it back from the beginning. See if we can figure out where we’re going wrong.” Harry suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three leaned over the circle, thinking over their process once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “The problem’s not our circle, I’ve double-checked it with Elric’s at least a dozen times already. So the fault’s probably in our thinking again.” Harry suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking the same thing,” Hermione agreed. “So, from the beginning. We need to deconstruct the Silver Oxide and the Hydrogen molecules right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Harry confirmed. “The hydrogen molecules are free-floating in the air, they’re already separated into individual molecules.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And we’ve deconstructed the silver oxide into separate molecules of silver and two oxygen atoms,” Ron agreed, tapping his quill to his chin, letting it bleed ink over his face as he thought. “So now we just need to reconstruct them into the molecules we need right? Silver and water?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on a minute,” Hermione interrupted. She threw out her hands in front of Harry and Ron, as if stopping them from moving forward. She then looked over their work again, scribbled out something in her notes and then smacked herself on the side of her head. “Of course, </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course, </span>
  </em>
  <span>how could I be so </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she said, exasperated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, Hermione? What are you being stupid about?” asked Ron, lost as to Hermione’s apparent revelation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We haven’t deconstructed our materials enough. We need to be working with ions and atoms, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>molecules</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she said emphatically. She drew out diagrams of the molecules for Harry and Ron to visualize.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to further break down the hydrogen molecules into hydrogen atoms, breaking the hydrogen bond between the two hydrogen atoms,” she explained, sticking her tongue out as she scribbled down the new inscriptions into the sides of the alchemy circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The silver oxide is held together with ionic bonds, so we need to break them down into silver ions and oxygen ions,” she continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on a minute Hermione,” Ron interrupted. “Hydrogen bonds? Ionic bonds? What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The bonds between the atoms themselves, not just the molecules, Ronald,” Hermione explained with an eye roll. “All this time we’ve been trying to work with deconstructed building blocks when the building blocks aren’t even fully deconstructed. We needed to be working with the materials in their </span>
  <em>
    <span>most basic form.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, we needed to break apart the molecules,” Harry surmised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Precisely,” Hermione replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, how didn’t we realise,” a voice spoke up from behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The trio of Gryffindors whipped their heads behind them, shocked to see in their fervour of academic enlightenment, none other than Viktor Krum had snuck up behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- uh, It’s you.” Ron breathed, flabbergasted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s me,” Krum said, amused. “I had been walking around the class for … inspiration, when my fellow classmates and I failed in our transmutations. We had just been wondering what we were doing wrong when I overheard your little theory session,” Krum explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do continue, I believe I can take these findings back to my classmates and we can continue on our own from there. We should talk again sometime. Maybe you could even teach me a thing or two,” Krum said, winking at Hermione. “I’ll see you again Frau?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Granger,” Hermione breathed. “Hermione Granger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Krum nodded. “Hermione Granger, I’ll be remembering you.” He left with a definite newfound purpose to his stride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron’s eyes narrowed. “What was that?” he asked shrewdly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dunno,” Harry shrugged. “Anyway, don’t we want to get a move on with this? We won’t be the first ones to complete a reconstruction to shove it in Malfoy’s face if we just let the Durmstrangs take our theory,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, strange eavesdroppers aside, we should do our work,” Hermione agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron reluctantly dropped the subject, but Harry noticed he still threw suspicious glances to the Durmstrang table every now and again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what do we do after we break down the silver oxide and hydrogen into ions and atoms and stuff?” asked Ron, flicking through his textbook to refresh himself on the different types of atomic bonds he now had to pay attention to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, then obviously, we’ve got to form the new bonds between the atoms, don’t we Ronald?” said Hermione matter of factly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Metals are held together with a metallic bond,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ron read aloud from his textbook. “So I guess that makes sense for silver.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And water is made of two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom, so it’s probably held together by a hydrogen bond,” supplied Harry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione thought she was going to tear up. Ron and Harry were actually doing class reading and managing to keep up with the specifics of a demanding course like Alchemy. If only they put this much effort into all their studies and not just out of some sort of misplaced sense of duty in order to show up Malfoy. She wiped away the imaginary tear from her eye. “Look at you two, you’re fledgling scientists.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron shoved her side playfully. “Hey, we can do homework too. We don’t always need to copy off you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Certainly doesn’t stop you from copying my Charms homework though,” Hermione said pointedly, shoving him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron replied by scratching the side of his nose, pretending to not have heard her. “So, that’s all we need to change with our way of thinking right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like it,” Harry affirmed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, let’s try it then,” said Hermione. She went to try to activate their circle again. However, Harry stopped her from activating the circle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, maybe we should let Ron do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at him surprised. “You want Ron to do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want me to do it?” Ron echoed. He was halfway through packing up his book again, ready for Hermione to ace yet another class and finish up their practical.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry shrugged. “Yeah, I mean. You’re the one who said you wanted to do this transmutation before Malfoy right? You can see them right there, the Slytherin’s have got nothing yet. I figure, since it was your idea that we should keep doing Alchemy to spite him, that you should have first shot at beating him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron gave Harry an appreciative look and put a hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “Harry, you’re a saint you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry laughed and pushed Ron’s hand off. “Yeah, yeah. You can thank me by showing Malfoy his smug face in the reflection of a nice silver coin. Go on then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron dusted off his robes and stepped to the edge of their alchemic array, breathing out lightly. He looked either side to each of his friends, his fingers tingling out before him. “Okay, here goes nothing,” he said, and set his hands to the edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The telltale electric crackle of alchemic energy sparked through their circle, as Harry and Hermione had to avert their eyes from the blue-white glow, which then eventually faded away. There wasn’t enough silver oxide to produce enough water vapour for it to be noticeable with the naked eye, but in the middle of Ron’s circle now sat a dingy looking disc of silver.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron’s eyes widened. “Whoa! Look at that, Harry. I did it!” he exclaimed. Ron reverently took the silver coin from the centre of the circle to inspect it more closely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not very smooth or shiny is it?” Hermione observed, still impressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who cares? It’s silver isn’t it? I can just polish it if I want,” Ron said proudly. “Look Harry, you can even see the transmutation marks on the sides!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He passed the coin to Harry, who held it up to the light to see the light catch on the small grooves on the surface of the coin. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the definition. The coin had an uneven surface with apparent transmutation marks. It felt thicker on one side than the other, and the uneven surface made it rather dull and as Hermione had observed, not shiny. But it was silver, and it was definitely in the shape of a disc.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A slow clap could be heard coming from the other side of the class, as the trio of Gryffindors looked to see Elric smiling at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, well, look at that. We have our first coin.” Edward said, almost proudly. He didn’t want to seem too happy about it. These were all very basic transmutations after all, not impressive in the slightest. He and Al were doing far more complex transmutations than these before they even hit double digits. But credit where credit was due, Ed had to remind himself he was working with actual thirteen and fourteen-year-olds. Wizards even, who barely had a grasp on what science even is, and not everyone was born a genius who could pass the State Alchemists’ entrance exam by the time they were twelve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pass it here Weasley, and let’s have a look at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Ron nervously walked up to the front of the class for the inspection, he made sure to give the gaggle Slytherins a nice big grin. He committed the flabbergasted look of disbelief etched on Malfoy’s face with sweet satisfaction. Ah, yes. This was what he was going for. That look would lead to many future pleasant dreams where he got to finally beat Malfoy at something the little prat thought he was good at. Ron then held out the silver coin for the professor to inspect, and dropped it into his gloved hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmmm,” Edward hummed, looking at the coin in the light. “A little lacking in technique, but honestly that just comes with practice, and you’ve only deconstructed things up till now, so not too shabby for a first reconstruction. With enough practice you might be able to get a reflection out of the surface.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He threw the coin back to Ron, who fumbled with it before catching it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Congratulations Weasley,” Ed said, turning back to the other students. “As a reward for being the first fourth year to reconstruct a silver coin, you get to keep yours. Give it a polish or something and you can I dunno, hang it up on a ribbon in your room or something. Now that you can extract silver from compounds, do try not to break the economy. That’s illegal and I don’t need the paperwork that comes with students inflating a foreign currency on my hands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a flash of light from the other side of the room, and Ed’s eyes snapped to the source. Out walked Krum from the table of Durmstrangs, and he stood before the professor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well?” asked Ed, looking around the tall teenager. “Let’s see it. I don’t see a coin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Krum did not take out a coin, but instead held up his hand, showing off a perfect, shiny silver ring. Not only that, it was in the shape of a twisted serpent encircling his finger, seemingly engraved with minute details. The class let out a small impressed “Ahhh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed raised an eyebrow. “Well, well, look at you Durmstrang,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed took hold of the ring and inspected it on Krum’s hand. “Nice work, good even shape, the transmutation marks are barely even visible, impressive for such detailed work as this. Your headmaster wasn’t kidding, looks like you Durmstrang kids do your homework,” Ed observed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’d be a shame to turn this beautiful work back into a silver ingot, especially as your first transmutation,” Ed mused. “You can keep your trinket as well. Call it a … gift from my country to yours,” he suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Krum bowed, “thank you, professor,” and he walked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron looked awed even as he walked back to Harry and Hermione. “Did you see that? Not only is the best Seeker in the world, but the man’s a natural Alchemist as well!” he sighed dramatically. “Holy hell Harry, is there anything Krum can’t do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He can’t express more than a teaspoon of emotion?” Harry joked. He tapped Hermione on the shoulder. “Hey Hermione, do you have like a bit of ribbon or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Um, one of my bookmarks has some on the corner, but I don’t really care about decoration on my bookmarks. Why?” she asked, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give it here,” Harry said. Hermione passed her bookmark and looked on as Harry unlooped the short red ribbon from the hole punched into the corner. He then took Ron’s coin and stabbed a hole through the centre using one of the compasses from the student cupboard. Then, Harry looped the ribbon through the hole in the coin and handed it back to Ron. “There you go,” he said happily. “A first-place medal for showing up Malfoy’s stupid face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron returned with a happy grin. “First place for showing up Malfoy’s stupid face, now that’s a medal worth keeping.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione smiled at her friend's antics, and started to pack up their workstation now that their class was practically over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later that day, at the Halloween Feast Harry would be declared the fourth Triwizard champion and Ron would leave the silver medal at the foot of his bed the following morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione would later go to the library that day to find Krum hiding from his fangirls. Ron didn’t notice when she held her next S.P.E.W meeting she had a silver ring on her finger.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is an actual reaction using reduction in chemistry which often is used to create a silver build up on the side of a test tube which is very bright and very reflective if done properly. However, if it isn't plated properly, you'll end up with a white, unimpressive residue lol because the silver isn't reflecting the light in the same direction but rather many different directions, ruining the reflection. What Ron's done is something in between where the silver isn't formed nicely, but still enough to be recognisably metallic and not just a weird white disk.</p><p>Other continuity notes are that in the books, Halloween night is actually on Saturday, not Friday like I have implied here. I just wanted an excuse for a lesson where Ed shows up in his state alchemist's uniform and the night before Halloween the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students show up after classes are over in the evening, so Ed wouldn't have had a chance to mention/meet Krum during the lesson he was dressed up in uniform. So instead I rescheduled Halloween night to Friday so that they have class right before the Triwizard Champions are announced.</p><p>Please excuse my constantly shifting viewpoints, I love writing mini thought montages of characters and I know it's not consistent or actually good for comprehensive storytelling but I just couldn't cut out those little inserts of thought of different characters. But guess what? I'm not sending this fic to a publisher, so it doesn't HAVE to be the most comprehensive fic following a consistent point of view of thought. I apologise profusely to any reader of mine who does find it confusing or cumbersome, if it's really hard to follow do tell and I promise I'll make an effort to stop my bad habit of inconsistent POV.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Have You Seen My Niece?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ed teaches the sixth years for a little interaction with Fred and George. Some unexpected character moments because Ed lays it on thick, and a trip in Elric's office.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After the announcement of the four Triwizard Champions, no one would fucking shut up about the scandal of the second Hogwarts champion for days. Not even the teacher's lounge was safe from all the blithering gossip. Sure, Ed wasn't happy about some fourteen-year-old being thrown into some sort of death tournament, but he had faith in the kid. He was facing serial killers and government conspiracies when Ed was that age. To be frank, that was probably more of a testament to the horrors of Ed's situation as a child soldier than an endorsement for a fourteen-year-old's capabilities, but there were a lot of new safety measures Dumbledore had made sure to put in place so that there would be as few fatalities as possible. Ed just wished everyone would fucking shut up about the gossip already and bring the focus back into the classroom where it belonged. Yes, Professor Sprout, Edward doesn’t care that the most handsome Hufflepuff Hogwarts has to offer was chosen as the Triwizard champion. No Professor McGonnagal, Ed doesn’t want to hear about how seemingly overnight, a plague of novelty oversized pins has struck the school mocking Potter, he’d like to have his tea in peace before returning to the library or marking the mountains of homework he assigned each and every Alchemy class. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today, Ed had brewed an extra calming tea at breakfast, because he had the sixth year students for the first period. Something fascinating had been happening among the students of Hogwarts as of late. Particularly, to a one Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins. Spontaneous nosebleeds, fevers, vomiting, fainting, and breaking out into unsightly boils had been taking place. Curiously, soon after the troublemakers cleared up their mysterious ailments, students who were unable to hand in their homework on time, or simply seemed uninterested in the day's lesson began to fall conveniently ill. Despite the suspicious circumstances,  it didn't seem like the students were faking. Otherwise, Ed would be very impressed with the dedication of the acting from the time he dangled a fainted Ravenclaw by the skin of their knees in front of the class for the entire lesson when he refused to dismiss them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because the Weasley twins and their close friends always seemed to be patient zero, Ed decided today was the day he was going to crack the case. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” He said, propping himself opposite of the Weasley twins on the lab bench.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sixth years were one of the most accelerated Alchemy classes to try and get them up to standard to take their N.E.W.T.s. Anyone who couldn’t perform a successful transmutation by the first week was cut from the course. As such, they were now onto performing basic botanical alchemy, making an apple sprout into a sapling and flower. In front of the table was a burgeoning sprout that had just started unfurling its tender leaves, but upon Ed’s interruption, that was as far as the sprout managed to get as Fred and George lost their concentration to turn to Ed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, this is an unexpected visit, professor. I thought we were doing quite well myself. Did you have any advice to offer us?” asked George, who had momentarily stopped giving water to the plant lest he drowns the poor thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you’re doing fine. I'm not here to talk about your classwork." Ed replied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, I wanted to talk about what happened in yesterday’s class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred offered a cheeky smile. “Sorry, we couldn’t make it to class yesterday. We were sick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very sick,” George emphasized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you had a bit of a vomiting incident yesterday, didn’t you?” Ed asked in a sweetly sympathetic voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Weasley twins merely returned Ed’s saccharine tone with an equally insincere smile, like they all were in on the same joke. “Sure did professor, projectile vomiting. Must’ve reached three meters down the hall on the way to Madam Pomfrey’s. I reckon it was something I ate. Might’ve been the breakfast sausages. They haven’t been up to snuff as of late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Must’ve been some stomach bug,” Edward commented. “Was it worth handing in your essay on Simplifying Arrays late?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred and George Weasley gave Ed their most confident Cheshire grins, as Fred spoke up. “Really professor, nothing would have pleased us more in the world than to have handed you our alchemy essays on time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>George gave a little dramatic sigh, complete with a damsel’s hand gracing his forehead in an expression of faux woe. “It was just so unfortunate we started to feel unwell the very second you asked for the papers to be handed in. Swear on our mum.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed narrowed his eyes. Well, that all but confirmed it. They knew what was up. It was unfortunate he couldn’t call them out on their suspicious behaviour alone. “Acting cheeky,” was hardly grounds for punishment. Ed had heard Severus had given students a detention for less, but his classroom operated on Equivalent Exchange. If he punished the twins for "cheek," the whole system would be under student scrutiny. He'd need proof. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to get someone to confess. The unashamedly suspicious behaviour indicated to him that whatever was going on most certainly stemmed from the Weasley twins. However, Ed knew the bond of brothers, and despite his misgivings, Al never sold out Ed whenever he was doing something to piss off Mustang. The bond of brothers was a tough nut to crack. He wouldn’t get either one of them to rat on the other. He’d have to get creative. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So Lee,” Ed said, turning to the third wheel. “I understand you’ve been peddling sweets to the first years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, is generosity a crime now?” Jordan replied a little too quickly. Ed had suspected those empty lolly wrappers had something to do with it, being the only evidence he had to go off of. He hadn't managed to get his hands on much more than one or two of the candies themselves. Ed had tried popping the whole nougat into his mouth but didn't have any adverse reactions to it. The way they worked must've been a secret. But he had a plan to draw the truth out of the teenagers one way or the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, of course not,” Ed replied smoothly, gearing himself up for the main act.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This would require a tact hand. Students wouldn’t crack just because a teacher was pressuring them, they spent their whole lives resisting the glare and threats of punishment from a teacher. As scary as Ed could be, taking the teacher route just wasn’t gonna cut it when it came to the camaraderie of the students. He was going to have to take a different approach. Something they weren’t used to defending against. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, so sudden in fact, the students felt like they got whiplash just from seeing it, Ed’s demeanour entirely flipped. His suspicion morphed into giddy friendliness and the most disturbingly bright smile stretched across Ed’s face, and the glare in his eyes melted away into gooey gushiness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was just wondering where you’ve been getting your supply of lollies. I got a letter from my little Elicia this morning. She’s six you know, and she wrote to me wondering if her Big Brother Ed will make it back home in time for her birthday in the winter. Have I never mentioned my niece Elicia? Well, she’s not my actual niece, she calls me Big Brother Ed. I was just kind of there for the birth. I have a picture if you wanna see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward didn’t wait for a response, he just pulled out a wallet from somewhere and unravelled a surprisingly extensive Muggle photo reel of a chubby little six-year-old girl with her mother waving at the camera at various times and in various places through a suburban middle-class home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Elicia Hughes. She’s the daughter of a close friend of mine. That’s her mother Gracia, aren’t they just the sweetest? Their father was the smartest, kindest man I’ve ever known, he was kind of like the father I never had for a time you know? I’ve got a picture of him too!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lee Jordan and the twins were gobsmacked. This behaviour from their usually dour professor was downright bizarre. Not only that, it was completely all-encompassing. They couldn’t get a word in edgewise, with Ed barely pausing in his enthusiasm to breathe. Every time they tried to say something, Ed would just shove another picture under their noses gushing about his ‘cute little girl.’ It seemed so perfectly deliberate. Like Ed was channelling some sort of energy from a deep-seated personal experience. It was the most one-sided conversation any of them had ever had the misfortune to be on the receiving end of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed flipped over one of the photos to reveal more photos behind them. The photo on top of the reel, however, was different from the rest. This photo seemed like it was quite old. The Ed in the picture actually appeared to be quite young, no older than twelve from what the teenagers could tell. The colours were a little faded from wear, but they could see it was a picture taken from a train station, with the destination sign reading “To Liore” in the background. Next to him, was a man in an Amestrian Military uniform with jet black hair, square glasses and the jauntiest grin from ear to ear that matched the one Ed was sporting right now. Also in the photograph stood a tall suit of armour with glowing red eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That man's Maes, her father. Elicia’s just a darling isn’t she? She gets it from her parents, really. And so imagine how I felt when I had to tell Elicia that Big Brother Ed wouldn’t be making it home from Britain in time for her birthday! Oh, it was just heartbreaking, let me tell you. Gracia tells me Elicia cried when she read my letter telling her I couldn’t come. And so I ask her how I can make it up to her, and she tells me she would just love to try the sweets from where Big Brother Ed is visiting, just so she can feel like she’s visiting with me you know? So I thought, ‘who better to ask for sweet recommendations than the students themselves?’ So you simply must tell me where you’ve been getting those lollies from. I’m sure cute little Elicia would love to try them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred, George and Lee weren’t sure when it happened, but now in between every word Ed uttered any words sweet, little, angel, and Elicia, they were nose to paper with another picture from the extensive photo gallery of the little girl Ed had procured. The rest of the class had long ago ceased their work at transmuting their apples to gawk at the spectacle the Alchemy Professor was making of himself. It was honestly quite impressive what a switch of character he had managed to pull off. The twins were quite sure how to handle it. They could handle Filch, they could handle Snape, they could handle McGonnagal and even the fiery wrath of their own mother. But this was… bizarre. They didn't quite know how to deal with this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, sir if you wanted candy, you could always go to Honeydukes-” Lee started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, but they’re not the same as the ones I’ve seen your class passing around. One of my first years actually dropped one as she left the class yesterday morning and I was going to mail that one to my darling Elicia, but it's not quite a gift unless you can give her a whole box you know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, professor, I wouldn’t give one of these to a child-” George tried to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I just knew the students wouldn’t want to tell me which sweets to give to Elicia!" Ed cried, his voice nigh on hysterics. It was quite alarming for the sixth years to witness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sugar quills, chocolate frogs and every-flavour-beans aren't even good enough for the students of Hogwarts anymore, you've all moved on to newer sweets. But you expect me to give outdated candy to my baby girl on her birthday? You just wanna make that adorable face happy on her special day, don’t you? Doesn't she deserve the best and most trendy sweets?” Ed shoved an image of the globulous, baby doll eyes of Elicia looking up at the camera under their noses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really professor, it’s not a good idea-” Fred tried to explain, or George. Ed wasn’t sure which was which anymore because he was too busy piling on the goo-goo ga-ga extra thick and was laughing too much internally at the dumbstruck looks on the teenagers’ faces. Really, it was a miracle he hadn't cracked yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why’s that? I know what you’re up to, you want to go out of your way to ruin this poor little angel’s birthday don’t you?” Ed accused wildly, bringing in the crocodile tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! We’d never want to um, ruin your sweet angel’s birthday-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s only five you know!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you said she was six-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it’s going to be her birthday, aren’t you listening?!” Ed screamed, hysterical. He almost broke character at that. Truly, this was gut-busting acting he was pulling off here. He doesn’t know how Hughes did this act with a straight face back in the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why won't you please tell me where to buy these candies? I've only seen students pass them amongst themselves. Do they get them from you or something? I swear I’ve seen your friends with those same wrappers-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred tried to get another word in. This was madness. It was radically different from being asked to explain himself to a teacher. This was some sort of hysterical uncle who doted on his niece more than was healthy. “Well, fine. Yes, they’ve gotten the sweets from us, but-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And don’t you just wanna be Elicia’s friend too?" Ed interrupted, controlling the conversation, if it could be called as such. "Doesn’t she deserve to eat the same sweets as her new friends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure she deserves all the sweets in the world professor-” George tried to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why don’t you want to give any sweets to my baby little girl?” Ed asked in his best hysterical dad-voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“BECAUSE THEY’RE HEXED-” Lee screamed, cracking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a deathly silence as Lee clapped his hands to his mouth, instantly regretting the words. The Weasley twins blanched and looked between themselves, then back to Lee, and then finally to Ed who had a new spark in his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit- I mean fuck- I mean … No?” Lee squeaked, trying for a sheepish grin. He tried to feign innocence, but it was far too late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In an instant, Ed dropped the act and rolled up the reel of photos. “I fucking knew it,” he said, grinning broadly from ear to ear. “So, hexed sweets, eh?" Ed asked. He pulled out the other nougat the unfortunate first year had dropped yesterday. "And how do they work? I tried one of these yesterday and nothing happened. A bit more sugary than the candy I'm familiar with, but I didn't break out in boils." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually professor, that one makes your nose bleed." a Hufflepuff spoke up from the class. At the ensuing glare from the twins and Jordan, the Hufflepuff merely shrugged. "What? You've been found out. There's no point in hiding it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fred, take him off the waiting list," said George. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Taking Deryll Henrickson off the waiting list," Fred replied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed held up his hands and the students stopped bickering, looking at him in fear. He pointed to the twins. "You two, my office. Now. Lee you've got detention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Alchemist marched the two identical gingers across the class to the back of the room where the large painting of the suit of armour stood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward then clapped his hands and the peal of metal sounded as he set his hands on the frame of the painting. Sparks of white and blue flew across the frame. The painting of 'Al,' as the twins knew him as, nodded in greeting. The cats in Al's lap scattered as the frame swung open on its newly unfused hinges, and the trio stepped into the Alchemist's office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the twins stepped through, Ed turned around and sealed the painting again with a clap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How'd you do that without a circle, sir?" asked George.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm? Oh, hidden circle underneath the canvas. Wouldn't want every student who could read a rune knowing the keys to my office now would I?" Ed explained breezily. "That way troublemakers like you can't transmute what they don't know the frame is made of."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The twins understood, it made sense enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The office of Edward Elric, was rather reflective of its occupant's personality. Eric's gothic architectural tendencies had bled over, with gargoyles guarding a bookshelf set next to Ed's office desk, which was also overflowing with books. In front of the desk was a pair of what looked like dungeon chairs made of iron with chains hanging off them, making them appear like interrogation chairs, but without the cuffs hanging off the chains. On the other side where the teacher would sit, was a slightly smaller, more modest version of the throne that sat in the classroom outside. Also on top of the alchemist's desk were more Muggle photos. One featured a blonde girl with a dog who had what seemed to be a metal prosthetic leg and her grandmother. Another frame held a photo of a military unit. At the centre of the unit was a young raven-haired man flanked by a blonde-haired woman with a small black dog at the heel to his immediate right. The smiling faces of the unity were looking at the camera with an irritated, but younger looking Ed pulled in reluctantly for the photo by a dark blonde man with a cigarette in his mouth. There was also another photograph of Al sitting by the side of a pond with a bird perched on his helmet. In the corner of the room was a wooden perch in the shape of a dragon standing atop garishly spiked skulls where a russet brown plumaged barn owl hooted quietly under the perch's spiked wings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was an open journal on Ed's desk which appeared to be a travelogue documenting his trip to Britain on the pages. The back of Al’s portrait was in fact, another portrait. This time, of the interior of a house with rolling hills in the background. Al had rotated from the side that faced the classroom to the interior, looking into Ed’s office as the cats started herding around him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other side of the room, however, was a massive stack of paper, and a single ashtray caked with a considerable amount of ash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that where all our homework ends up?" George asked incredulously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed smirked. "Only the papers that aren't worth reading. You should have seen the stack of homework at the beginning of the year before I started kicking students out of my classes. Looks like I picked up a habit from that Colonel Bastard after all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made his way to his side of the desk, and plopped himself on the velvety cushioned throne, and gestured to the two chairs in front of it for the twins to take a seat. Wary of the threatening-looking provided seating, however, they elected to stay standing instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed shrugged at their stance and decided to start anyway. It was no skin off his nose if they got sore feet from standing in his office all day when there were perfectly functional seats in front of the twins. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, hexed candy. You two are the ringleaders of this little operation. I can tell Lee is just your trusted business associate. Quite clever for an independent project. I like independent learning in my students,” he said, buttering them up. Lead with flattery, get them to soften up to him, Ed thought wickedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred and George glanced at each other from the corners of their eyes again. They weren't about to get scolded? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So tell me. How do they work? I noticed none of the other teachers have picked up anything amiss either. So, how do these candies work?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>George shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Fred even tried to whistle innocuously. So, they were still going to play the silent card. But now Ed caught them red-handed, he could barter with this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tell you what," Ed proposed, steepling his gloved fingers. "I know you two like alchemy. You're some of the brightest alchemists in your class. You show real potential. How about we do this like alchemists, hmm? An exchange of information. You tell me how these sick inducing candies work, and I'll show you how to make an Alchemy Amplifier. I won't even get you in trouble with McGonnagal. How does that sound?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred and George looked at each other with wide eyes. "Come again, professor?" said George.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alchemy Amplifier, sir?" Fred asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An engraved charm made of specific materials that amplify how much energy an Alchemist can draw from their Gate,” Ed explained. “You may have noticed, the more energy a reaction demands, like maturing a full apple tree from fruit to a sapling, costs a lot of energy to be drawn through the Gate, yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The twins nodded. It was physically taxing, keeping the reaction going when so much energy was needed to forcibly mature a living organism.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, an alchemy amplifier helps an alchemist draw power more readily than they might be able to on their own. They’ll still be limited by their own knowledge and understanding of the reaction they’re working on, but usually using an amplifier, you’ll be able to perform bigger, faster reactions than on your own,” Edward explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edward unhooked his silver pocket watch from his belt and set the trinket on the desk. At the look of surprise that crossed the twins’ faces, Ed leaned back in his throne smugly. "What? You didn't think I just wore this watch around as a fashion statement did you?" he snorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The twins didn’t say a word. Truthfully, that’s what they had assumed. Ed was so garish with his usual fashion choices, silver chain jewellery just seemed on-brand for the blonde.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, it's also basically a fancy badge I carry around that tells everyone 'I'm a State Alchemist,' but it's also useful in slightly boosting an Alchemist’s ability to draw energy through their Gate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed hopped off his throne and walked over to the side of the room with his owl and it’s perch. He grabbed some nuts from inside of his coat and offered them to the owl, who blinked slowly and started nibbling at them eagerly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Minsey, and her best friend Arianell. Want to know why her perch is her best friend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The twins didn’t know what else to do, other than to shrug and then nod along with the Alchemy teacher’s question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Minsey was done with her nuts, Edward’s fingers touched an alchemy array at the base of the perch, which glowed brightly. The energy travelled in waves over the perch and faded away. The twins were confused, what happened? Then, the dragon-shaped perch suddenly shuddered, and the dragon blinked and then sprang to life!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“P-professor!” Fred exclaimed, shocked. Minsey simply ruffled her feathers in response to the suddenly animated wooden dragon shifting its wings from underneath her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, make no mistake, this isn’t a charm or transfiguration, this is still a hundred per cent alchemy,” Ed said, as the dragon crawled around on his desk, nuzzling under Ed’s arm before returning to its place in the corner of the room, slowing down until it stuttered to an inanimate dead stop. Minsey hooted in protest at the perch, disappointed her friend had gone back to sleep so soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arianell was a hundred per cent made of wood, but I animated her with continual transmutation. She moves because the materials she’s made up of are constantly transmuting themselves, giving the illusion of life.” Ed explained. “Now, I actually don’t need my pocket watch to pull this stuff off, but with an amplifier, you two probably could keep her moving for a few seconds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred and George looked at each other excitedly. Alchemy had just opened up a whole new slew of possibilities in their minds for products.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving his owl one last pat on the head, which Minsey returned with a nibble, tugging at Ed’s gloves causing him to scowl slightly, Ed returned to his desk, cocking an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So boys, do we have a deal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Weasley twins weighed their options and had a silent psychic conversation through microexpressions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed looked between the two. He knew he had them when Fred looked away from George with a sense of finality,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure thing Professor. Equivalent Exchange right? So the way our candy works, is a two-step system.” he explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruffling in his bag, George flipped his bag inside out. He flicked his wand and a secret zip to a hidden pocket in the lining. From there, he pulled out an unwrapped demonstrative piece. “This delightful sweet is a Fainting Fancy. You may have noticed our candy is colour coded, with one side orange, and the other side pink.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The orange bit’s the fun part, that’s the part that gets you sick,” Fred continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Makes you faint within seconds,” said his twin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But pop the pink end in your mouth, and you’re right as rain again,” they both finished together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed cocked an eyebrow. “Did either of you two geniuses wonder how the user of your product is meant to eat the other half of your candy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That sounds like a problem,” George agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But not our problem!” Fred sing-songed gleefully. “Honestly, though professor, the answer is obviously having a mate. Have a friend just kip it right under your tongue when he takes your sorry arse to the hospital wing. Works like a charm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So when I put the whole nougat in my mouth …” Ed theorized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The effects instantly cancelled each other out, yeah,” George confirmed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed thought for a moment, before pointing out a finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clever, I’ll give you that,” he admitted. Edward crossed his arms. “I won’t tell McGonnagal, but no more Weasley candy in my classes. Not more cooked up excuses. You keep these candies out of my class, don’t let anybody buy them intending to use them during my classes and hand in your work when you’re supposed to, and maybe I won’t just let you bleed out on the floor if you come to my class actually bleeding from your nose. Capiche?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a solemn nod from both the twins. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh and boys? You’ll have detention with Mr Jordan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Weasley twins gaped. “What? I thought you said you weren’t going to punish us!” George protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed smirked. “No, I said I wouldn’t tell Professor McGonnagal. You’re still in trouble for not handing in your essays on time by deliberately skipping my class. I made an effort to be here in the freezing ass end of the Earth to teach wizards of all people, the least you can do is respect my time and make an effort to show up to class when I ask. It’s called Equivalent Exchange bitch, so forgive me if I give you one little detention.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The twins sighed but accepted their punishment. Really, it was a small price to pay for the Alchemy teacher’s silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Truth be told, as you may have noticed I have quite a backlog of homework to mark this week, so I don’t have time to teach you about Amplifiers just yet. But come back to me in a couple of weeks after I’ve cut a few more people from my classes and I’m sure I can fit you in some time.” Edward said, leafing over a few more pages riddled with red ink before chucking it into the ashtray to be reduced to cinders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, let’s get back to class before your classmates think I murdered you,” Ed said, getting up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three made their way back to the back of Al’s portrait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before we go, I’ve got to say, Professor,” started Fred, pausing at the door. He pointed an accusing finger at the petite blonde. “Merlin’s fucking bum hairs, that’s downright psychopathic how you can just flip like that. It was weird hearing you gush about this little girl like she hung the moon and then just flipped back into an arsehole the second you got Lee to crack. Do you even have a real niece?” he asked, incredulous that they got played like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed cocked an eyebrow. “Of course I do. I showed you the pictures didn't I? Why do you think I carry around copies of photos of a random girl and her dad for funsies? Her name is actually Elicia and her mother is Gracia. It’s actually her birthday this winter, but she’s six turning seven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir,” started George. “Sorry if I’m being rude, but why do you have all these photos of Elicia? Shouldn’t these be something her father carries around?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed looked at George, sombre. “Her father was murdered,” he said bluntly.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, if it was a little OOC for Ed to be channelling Hughes here, sorry for the abrupt tone shift, I just was thinking of how one would get the Weasleys to spill when they've been hounded by teachers for six years. Like, a new, stricter Alchemy teacher isn't going to come off as any sort of new threat you know? So how else to get them to spill, than confront them with HYSTERICAL DAD VIBES. Don't you just want to comfort a hysterical Dad by telling him not to inadvertently poison his niece?</p><p>Here's a fun drinking game, take a shot every time the words "sweet, little, angel, baby, doll, girl, Elicia" shows up. Actually don't, I feel like that many shots in that short of a span of time is a bad idea. I wouldn't know, I'm not a drinker so.</p><p>Other notes: Ed's class is classroom 11 on the ground floor. This is actually a previously unused classroom before Firenze uses it to teach Divination in book 5.</p><p>I named Ed's owl Minsey because it was a shorter owl and I wanted a name that sounded like "Mini" I'm so original I know.</p><p>Arianell means silver. Orginally the perch was an argent dragon fashioned after the crest of Amestris being an Argent Dragon, and was going to be made of pure silver. But I imagine owls like perching on actual wood more than silver so I decided it's now just a wooden statue of the argent dragon still named Arianell.</p><p>My FMA backstory will be a fusion of 03 and BroHo so Ed and Winry helped deliver Elicia, Hence, why Hughes gave Ed copies of all his Elicia photos. I like to imagine he sent these to Mustang as well and they both hold on to the photos and fondly think of Hughes.</p><p>Mustang is totally getting a nosebleed nougat sent in his mail someday. Maybe even some day soon.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Dragons or Some Sh*t</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ed helps wrangle the dragons and let's learn about Amplifiers!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ever think you're going to post weekly, then it becomes fortnightly, and then next thing you know it's almost been three weeks? In my defence, I must've rewritten the beginning of this chapter like four times trying to figure out how to get Harry to eavesdrop on this lesson, because I always wanted him to use Alchemy as a slight crutch in the First Task ever since I watched the Goblet of Fire movie. Which, yes it sucks, but when Harry gets his broom stuck in the exterior of Hogwarts in that once scene, all I could think about was "Gee, if Ed taught him how to use Alchemy he could just transmute his broom free."</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dragons. Ed wasn't sure how out of all the teachers at Hogwarts, he was the one roped into helping Hagrid work with the dragon keepers to move the horrid beasts into a secluded area away from prying eyes in the Forbidden Forest. He liked to think it was because he was clearly the most physically capable of all the Hogwarts teachers and it was simply a testament to not simply sitting on his backside waving a wand until all his problems went away. But it was probably more likely than not when Dumbledore and Snape were on a morning stroll through the grounds and had stumbled upon Ed sparring with the Whomping Willow in the early hours of the morning to keep up his physical training. Dumbledore had commented merrily at breakfast that Ed was surprisingly light on his feet, given his condition, gesturing to his metallic limbs, which only the staff were currently really aware of, and had asked if Ed thought he was spritely enough to dodge a dragon. Thinking it to be hyperbole, Ed had snorted and proclaimed loudly he could dodge dragons in his sleep. </p><p>Yeah, that probably had something to do with him getting roped into dragon transportation. The lead dragon keeper, some redhead Ed could've sworn was an older Weasley sibling, had led a team of about thirty wizards to transport the dragons, plus Ed now of course. It was supposed to be a relatively quiet job, with Ed on standby just in case. The dragons were given Sleeping Potions so that they would wake up in their temporary enclosures, where they would stay until the First Task. Of course,  like everything else that happened in Ed's life, it wasn't that easy. The dragons had woken up just before they got to the enclosure, and had started throwing off handlers and breaking their restraints left, right, and centre. The wizards were in a frenzy, desperately trying to conjure ropes to tie the beasts back down. Ed had reacted immediately, and threw himself onto the neck of the red dragon and held on for dear life to the smooth golden spikes fringing its face. He was using the added weight from his automail limbs to hopefully weigh it's head down from being supported by its long, slender neck long enough for a hysterical wizard to tie a rope around it before he got thrown off. Off to the side, Ed heard one of the wizards warn Hagrid to stay back. Ed spared a fleeting glance and spotted the half-giant, dressed in some sort of custom-made brown suit for his broad frame, a corsage pinned to the lapel with his hair combed out roughly standing on the sidelines and talking to the part giantess Headmistress of that Beauxbatons school. The dragon underneath his legs started writhing, pulling on the ropes grounding it. </p><p>"Watch out!" was all Ed heard before the sound of cables snapping cracked, and the dragon reared back on its hind legs, throwing its head back and thrashing it back and forth like a dog trying to dislodge the heavy human holding on to its neck. A huge fireball exploded out of its mouth and the other dragons started to struggle further too.</p><p>Ed was thrown off to the side in the direction of Hagrid and his date. Quick as a flash, he clapped his hands together, the metallic peal sounding clear as a bell, even through the sounds of dragon wrangling. Ed transmuted the plate of his automail arm into a short sword, ripping apart his glove, and stabbed it deep into the bark of the first tree he came upon before he crashed into the couple. The momentum caused him to swing back like a pendulum from his anchor to the tree.  Ed could’ve sworn he felt his automail foot kick something that yelled ‘ow!’ when he landed in the dirt just past Hagrid. But nothing was there when he looked.</p><p>However, now wasn't the time to ponder possible invisible eavesdroppers, as the red and gold dragon faced him again and opened its jaw. Nestled in its maw, Ed saw the cresting flames lick the dragon's lips as the golden red centre at its maw swirled in a torrent of fire. Ed clapped his hands again and set them to the ground. Giant earthen hands of mud and clay sprung from the earth and encircled the dragon. One hand ensnared it's mouth, closing it shut just as the fire tried to escape, snuffling the fireball into a gasp of flames and black smoke. The dragon shrieked as it was subdued by the strange, earthen hands that fastened it's wings tight to its body and pulled the great beast to the ground and cementing it there before the ground finally stopped moving. </p><p>Ed breathed a sigh of relief, but it wasn't over just yet. The other dragons were now in a panic at seeing their ally wrestled to the ground by the earth moving like a great foe, and were more riled up than ever, shrieking and roaring in terror as flames shot wildly in all directions. </p><p>"It's no good, Stunning Spells on the count of three!" yelled a wizard from off to the side, trying to keep his hat on as embers rained down from above. </p><p>The wizards readied their wants and jets of red light lit up the clearing as they shot towards their targets, overwhelming the beasts and knocking the dragons unconscious. A stray arc missed though and headed straight for Ed, who instinctively blocked it with his metal arm. </p><p>"Hey! Watch it!" Ed yelled as the spell glanced off his arm. </p><p>The offending wizard blanched as he took notice of the inhuman gleam of metallic skin in the night.</p><p>"I-I'm sorry sir!" he stuttered. Ed rolled his eyes at the open stare of the onlookers unfamiliar with his metallic limb. With exception to the Hogwarts staff, nobody had really seen his automail. Unlike back home where it was a relatively normal prosthesis, here in the wizarding world, people were prone to gawk at calculators, let alone advanced motorised limbs. The giantess was regarding him with some distrust in her eyes. Ed wanted to snap at her that there were fucking dragons to stare at, and his automail was one of the least fascinating things to look at right now, thanks.</p><p>The redheaded dragon keeper trotted up to the ensemble. "Oi, you lot. Don't you all have jobs to do?" he said, shooing away the other nosy dragon keepers. There was a muttering of apologies as the wizards went back to their work, dragging the stunned creatures into their confinements. There was a gaggle of rather confused looking wizards trying to figure out how to pry the Chinese Fireball from its earthen prison, but Ed was hardly in any mood to assist them. They could dig the beast out for all he cared.</p><p>The redhead then stuck his hand out towards Ed. "Charlie Weasley, dragon keeper. I don't believe we've had the pleasure."</p><p>Normally, Ed would switch to his left hand whenever greetings were in order, as to not give away his automail right away. But seeing as he literally had a sword attached to his ungloved hand right now, it was hardly necessary. Ed calmly transmuted the blade back into the metal plating and took the offered hand with his right arm, noting the confident grip from the man and lack of reaction when flesh met metal.</p><p>"Edward Elric, Alchemist, and I guess I teach here," Ed replied smoothly. He then smiled. "I knew you had to be a Weasley."</p><p>A laugh erupted out of Charlie’s mouth. Still sniggering, he pulled a hand through his flaming red hair casually. "Really? What gave it away?"</p><p>Ed laughed as well. "You had the same dumb look on your face as your brothers when they saw Alchemy for the first time." he joked. Charlie threw his head back and chortled.</p><p>“So that’s what that crazy hand stuff was just now? Alchemy I presume?"</p><p>Ed nodded at the still moaning red dragon encased in dirt. "Yep. I figured earth was stronger than the flimsy ropes you were using, and it looks like I was right."</p><p>“Well, that’s one way to go about it I suppose. I don’t suppose that’s what my brothers are learning under your tutelage at Hogwarts? I'm not gonna come home for Christmas dinner to the twins grabbing me by me knickers with crazy hands coming from the walls am I?"</p><p>Ed snorted. "At their level? Hardly. But don’t hold your breath. I promised them I’d teach them how to make alchemic amplifiers, and with one strong enough even they might be able to manage it. But on their own they could probably turn your chair into a shrub."</p><p>"Lovely."</p><p>"So, the First Task involves these dragons then, I presume?" the headmistress of Beauxbatons asked, interrupting the two young men.</p><p>She tried to pass off her question as innocent and inquisitive, but Ed was around Mustang’s politics back at headquarters long enough to recognise underhanded information fishing when he saw it. He gave her a sour look. She looked innocently at him, batting her long dark lashes slowly like she was oblivious to his simmering antagonism. </p><p>Charlie frowned at her approach. "I didn't know you were bringing her along Hagrid. The champions aren't meant to know what's coming. She's bound to tell her student isn't she?" </p><p>Hagrid, who was clearly enamoured with the prospects of a real romantic partner who might understand him as a half-giant in ways nobody else could, shrugged off Charlie's concerns over foul-play by swearing Olympe was simply interested in the beasts and diverted attention by asking Charlie about the species of dragons he had at hand. </p><p>Ed snorted. It really wasn't his business about the politics of this wizard school death game. His job was to teach some brats Alchemy and not make too much of a mess for Mustang by the time he got out. If foul-play was afoot, he wasn't a part of it and he wasn't going to take sides in petty rival school drama. </p><p>After some small talk and returning the eggs of the dragons to their respective mothers, Ed was allowed to retire for the night.</p><p>“Good night Hagrid, try not to fry off anything important Charlie.”</p><p>“G’night Ed. It was pleasant meeting you.” Charlie replied. “I’ll probably see you at the First Task, yeah?”</p><p>Ed snorted derisively. “Unlikely. I’m not much for watching sport. I’d much rather be the one fighting than watching somebody else do all the action. If you swing by the library before you leave you’ll probably be able to catch me.”</p><p>“Classic stick in the mud bookwork, eh?” Charlie teased. “You’ll want to see this though, Ed. I promise you. Dragons are a real beaut to watch. It’ll be a showstopper for sure. Maybe even the highlight of this Tournament.”</p><p>Ed laughed, but acquiesced. “Fine, I suppose I’ll watch four teenagers scrabble around to get past a dragon. Maybe I’ll even take a picture and send it to your mum.”</p><p>Charlie blanched at that. “Please don’t. Mum doesn’t need a heart attack, and I’ll never hear the end of it from her. She’s already having kittens as it is over Harry being entered into the tournament in the first place. If she finds out I was a part of this-”</p><p>Ed held up a hand. “Alright, I promise I won’t snitch on your mum.”</p><p>He then waved said hand in a final farewell. “I’ll catch you this Friday then.”</p><p>“Goodnight.” Charlie waved.</p><hr/><p>Ed found out very quickly that Beauxbatons headmistress Olympe wasn’t the only one who had spied on the transportation of the dragons last night. At the breakfast table the next morning, Edward had caught Karkaroff muttering the word ‘dragons’ under his breath on more than one occasion and pulling his star pupil Krum aside for some rushed advice. Fleur and Krum were looking decidedly more stressed and frantic than usual, and Krum had stopped showing up for Alchemy practical lessons, presumably to prepare with Karkaroff for the First Task. </p><p>And of course, there were the twins. Of course, the twins. Tuesday came along and when the sixth year class was over, Ed instantly noticed the two redheads hanging back after class looking to have a word with him. </p><p>"Good morning professor," Fred said jauntily. </p><p>"Beautiful Tuesday, innit?" George added.</p><p>“Great day to say, slay a dragon, wouldn’t you say?” Fred asked.</p><p>Ed rolled his eyes and rubbed his temples. “And who told you? Was it your brother?” Apparently nothing in this castle remained a secret for long. Though, considering there were four fifty feet long fire breathing lizards stomping around in the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, Ed supposed it was only a matter of time before someone found out before Friday.</p><p>The twins then shook their heads so in-sync, it was dizzying.</p><p>“Charlie?” Fred scoffed. “Never. He actually knows how to keep his trap shut.” </p><p>“But Harry? You may know him. Friend of our little brother’s-” George quipped.</p><p>“He asked us something strange last night."</p><p>"He asked if we were really learning to make Alchemic Amplifiers from you.”</p><p>“So we asked the nosy little git where he heard that from. He wouldn’t tell us of course-”</p><p>“But he did say that he wanted in. Said something about wanting to be able to slay dragons didn’t he, Fred?”</p><p>“Yes he did, George.”</p><p>"And we asked, ‘who said anything about dragons?’"</p><p>"And then, taking inspiration from you, professor, we offered him an exchange of information."</p><p>"We'd invite him to our lesson with you on Alchemic Amplifiers if he told us what any of that had to do with dragons," George said proudly.</p><p>"I must say, your strategy is very efficient in getting people to tell you things, professor. He told us right away."</p><p>"Told us he saw everything that happened behind the Forbidden Forest on Saturday night from under his invisibility cloak."</p><p>"So your arm professor, is it really made of metal?"</p><p>Ed groaned as the twins looked curiously at his right arm. He knew he kicked something invisible that night. While researching and acclimatising to this world, Ed had read about Disillusionment Charms and Invisibility Cloaks. He also knew such spells weren’t in the standard Hogwarts curriculum, so it was unlikely any of the students would be learning such spells, and that Invisibility cloaks were obscenely rare. However, unlikely didn't mean never. </p><p>He reluctantly slipped off his right glove and tried not to smirk when both twins gaped at the revealed gleaming metal. </p><p>“Wicked,” they both whispered in unison.</p><p>“Means you have a mean right hook, right professor?” asked George.</p><p>“Hell yeah,” Ed confirmed, holding his fist up in a demonstration, and allowing his sleeve to fall down slightly, revealing more of the artificial limb.</p><p>"And is it true you can transmute without a transmutation circle?" asked Fred.</p><p>Ed’s eyes darkened. “That, is a question for another time. Look, I have a class to teach this period, so I don’t really have time to answer all your questions. But if you really want to drag Harry along, be my guest. It’s your information you’ve earned, so it’s up to you who you choose to share it with. But trust me when I say, you can’t transmute without a transmutation circle. Now scamper off. We’ll have our lesson tonight in my office at eight o’clock. Don’t be late. If any of the teachers ask, say you all have detention with me. Got it?”</p><p>“Got it,” the twins replied succinctly. They just left when the next students came filing into the classroom, looking mildly confused at the straggler twins.</p><p>“Whoa, professor! What happened to your arm?” Asked some third-year student, gaping at the still exposed arm. “Dammit,” Ed muttered to himself. Sighing, he figured he may as well pull off the proverbial bandaid in one go, and pulled his sleeve all the way back with a grin, and slammed his left leg onto the desk, pulling up the pant leg and wowing his third years with his prosthetics.</p><p>“I lost them wrestling with dragons. Cooler than skin, right?”</p><hr/><p>By the time eight o’clock rolled around, everyone and their Nan had heard tell of Ed’s automail limbs. Gossip travelled fast around this school, and nothing was sacred.</p><p>He was bombarded with questions all day, which irritated him because it distracted the students from you know, learning during his lessons. But with the First Task fast approaching, he supposed they were no more distracted from normal. Ed, however, enjoyed spreading fantastical stories about how he lost his limbs and made sure to tell a different story every time a student asked. He started with the story about wrestling with dragons with the third-years, but he told the seventh-years he lost them in an encounter with a deranged cannibal, and he told the fourth-years he had to cut his limbs off when they were poisoned by a giant sea serpent. Due to that, the students had learnt to not trust anything he said about his automail limbs, and many doubted him even when he told the truth about how they worked.</p><p>That evening, Ed greeted the trio of teenagers who were waiting outside his classroom.</p><p>“Eight o’clock professor, as promised,” said George. </p><p>“Yeah, yeah, get in.” Edward drawled, unlocking the door and letting them into the class. Ed smirked when he saw the smarting bruise that had formed on the side of the black haired kid's head. "Nice bruise there Potter, but when you run around the Forest invisible, you can hardly blame me for hitting something I can't see."</p><p>Harry nodded and gave a sheepish grin, rubbing the traumatized area gingerly. "I saw Madame Pomfrey about it. I'll make it a point not to run into your toes, professor," he joked. </p><p>Seeing as how Harry had apparently witnessed him transmuting freely without circles and had then gone and blabbed about it to the twins, Ed saw no need for pretences, and simply clapped and transmuted the picture frame lock to his office.</p><p>“Ed?” Asked the painting of Alphonse curiously.</p><p>Ed waved the concerned tone off. “It’s okay, they know.”</p><p>The three boys and their Alchemy professor made their way to his desk. This time, there was three interrogation looking chairs in the Alchemy teacher’s office. However, now that they knew they weren’t in any trouble, the twins had no hesitation sitting in the offered seating. Harry, however, was a bit more hesitant in sitting in a chair with spikes and chains hanging off it and stood unsure behind the twins who seemed far too at ease. Minsey hooted softly from her perch in the corner of the room, annoyed at having been woken up by the arrival of the students. She hooted her irritation at her owner, who then clapped his hands together and put them to the wall. There was a flash of light, and a hole opened up right through the wall, forming a great circular window overlooking the greenhouses outside. He pushed the window open and allowed his minute owl to fly out into the night, away from the stuffy classroom.</p><p>“Does that clapping have anything to do with you not using a transmutation circle, professor?” asked Harry curiously.</p><p>“Yeah, it does,” Ed confirmed grimly.</p><p>“Can you teach us how to do that?” Harry asked hopefully.</p><p>Ed gave him a hard stare. “No,” he said sharply. Harry wilted in place, jolted by the harsh tone. </p><p>“Nobody can teach you to transmute without a transmutation circle. It’s a gift you can only achieve by paying a horrible price that nobody should have to pay,” he said cooly. </p><p>Edward folded his arms. “As your teacher, it is my responsibility to make sure that you never pay that price, like it was my teacher’s responsibility to teach me and my brother to not seek out that price. She, as you can see, failed. And she regrets that failure every day. So don’t ask me to teach you, because I won’t.”</p><p>“Okay, we understand professor,” Harry said, apologetic.</p><p>“So,” Edward started, looking between the faces of the three. “I know why Red One and Red Two are here,” he said, pointing between the twins. “What I don’t know, is why you are here Harry,” he said, tapping his fingers on the desk rhythmically.</p><p>“Well, I saw you in the Forest on Saturday, Professor.”</p><p>“Yes, and?”</p><p>“Well, the First Task will involve besting a dragon.” Harry rambled on nervously.</p><p>“Apparently.”</p><p>“So, I saw how you beat the dragon, Sir,” Harry finished, looking up hopefully. “I saw how you used Alchemy to beat it. You managed to pull it down with that massive transmutation you pulled off! And you said to Charlie that with an amplifier, maybe one of your students could do the same. And- and I need help professor,” Harry begged, clearly desperate. Ed noticed the waver in Harry’s voice. The kid was scared.</p><p>“There’s no way I could beat a dragon, I’m not like the other Champions,” Harry threw his hands in the air, wringing his fingers anxiously. </p><p>“I’m only fourteen. I’m not smart and talented like Hermione, I’ll be eaten by Friday and everyone will have a great big laugh about it afterwards!”</p><p>Ed rolled his eyes. He thought it was a bit ridiculous that the part Harry had pulled from his whole situation was the public embarrassment of losing and being eaten by a dragon, rather than the actual, you know, <em>mortal peril</em> of being eaten by the said dragon. But he supposed teenagers had strange priorities sometimes when it came to self-image.</p><p>“Could you teach me to do something like that, sir?” he asked eagerly. </p><p>Ed held up a hand. “One, stop looking so pathetic. It’s not a good look for the Fourth Triwizard Champion or whatever the hell they’re calling you these days. Two, no I can’t teach you to beat a dragon the same way I did.”</p><p>“But, you said with an amplifier-”</p><p>“If you recall,” Edward interrupted, “I said with an amplifier the twins might be able to transmute and animate something like a hand from the walls. What I did was quite a bit more complicated than a prank extendable arm. Even with an amplifier. I don’t think any of you could single-handedly wrestle a dragon using Alchemy.”</p><p>Harry’s gaze fell to the floor, defeated.</p><p>“But,” Ed continued, having pity. He hated to see a kid so down on himself. “That doesn’t mean it won’t be useful to use Alchemy against a dragon.”</p><p>He folded his arms and closed his eyes in thought. “Maybe I won’t be able to teach you to move the whole ground to cage the beast, but you may have noticed the dragons breathe fire. I doubt you’ve learnt any fire deflection spells, so I’ll do you one better. I can teach you to do smaller things, like throw up a rock shield. Or turn a patch of earth to quicksand so that the dragon might be slowed down enough for you to do something about it. With an amplifier, you should be able to pull that off easily.”</p><p>“Dragons fly.” Harry deadpanned.</p><p>Ed opened his eyes and looked at Harry irritably. “Hey, I’m only throwing out suggestions here. You’re the one who has to fight the dragon by Friday, buddy.”</p><p>“Besides,” Harry said defeatedly. “I won’t have time to draw an Alchemic Circle. It’s not like I can ask the dragon for a five-minute break while I draw a circle before it shoots fire at my face.”</p><p>“So use a pre-drawn circle,” Ed said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Really Harry, you have to be more creative with your thinking. If you think all defeatedly like that, you’ll have lost the tournament before you’ve even started.”</p><p>Harry looked surprised at the short Alchemist. “A pre-drawn circle?”</p><p>“Sure,” Ed shrugged. “You could even have it engraved on your Alchemic Amplifier. Just touch the circle to the appropriate material and know the transmutation well enough and you’re golden.” </p><p>Harry looked like he hadn’t thought of that. Ed rolled his eyes at the narrow thinking of the teenager.</p><p>“So, we shouldn’t put our bets down on who will win between wizard and dragon just yet?” Fred suggested.</p><p>“If Harry wants to use Alchemy in his strategy, I’d say he has a fighting chance,” Ed nodded.</p><p>“So, still want to stick around for the lesson, Potter?”</p><p>“I think you’ve convinced me. Yes, I’m staying Professor,” Harry answered, and sat in the remaining chair confidently.</p><p>“Well, now that that’s sorted,” Fred said lightly, trying to break the ice. “How about those Alchemic Amplifiers, huh?”</p><p>“Sure,” said Ed casually, and began pulling books out of his bookshelf. “Mustang has a lovely surprise attached to my latest progress report now, so I owe you a lesson to teach you about amplifiers. So, like any normal class, we’ll start this lesson off with a page from a book.”</p><p>George groaned as Ed dropped three identical heavy tomes in front of the teenagers. “Seriously?”</p><p>Edward gave him a cold, hard stare. “Seriously. Turn to page four hundred and thirty-six.”</p><p>The students groaned and turned to the instructed pages. Fred looked up from his book, confused. “Metals, sir? I thought we already learnt about transmuting metals.”</p><p>“Yeah, even I’ve learned about transmuting silver,” Harry said, reading the alchemic runes inscribed in the book.</p><p>“Well, we’re not going to be transmuting metals.” Ed started, explaining nothing. “We’re going to be harnessing metals.”</p><p>“Harnessing, professor?” asked George.</p><p>Edward nodded. "As I was saying," he paused as he pulled out a pad of paper and sketched out a familiar diagram of the cyclical tectonic energy from the earth, a rudimentary stick figure symbolising an alchemist and some arrows to symbolize the flow of energy from the earth to the alchemist and back to the earth in demonstration to the three students.</p><p>"As you become more skilled at Alchemy, the more energy you'll be able to draw from the earth when you perform a transmutation, and the more difficult of a transmutation you'll be able to perform.”</p><p>He drew over the arrow connecting the tectonic energy to the stick figure, drawing a bigger, thicker arrow in its place showing an increase in drawn energy. </p><p>“As I said before, you may have noticed during your practicals, it can be a bit draining drawing on more and more alchemical energy for more difficult transmutations. Your Gate is unpracticed with moving so much energy all the time. It can also be more exhausting mentally if you are not as familiar with your transmutation as a more practised alchemist.”</p><p>The twins nodded. Harry, who had still only been going over basic Alchemy in class, however, still was relatively confused, but tried his best to keep up anyway.</p><p>“However, certain substances can be harnessed to amplify your own alchemic ability, by allowing you to channel more energy through the Gate without exhausting you as much."</p><p>Ed held up his pocket watch. "For instance, silver." He unhooked the pocket watch from his belt and laid it on the desk for the students to inspect.</p><p>Edward flipped the page on his paper pad and started sketching out the designs on the surface of his pocket watch, deconstructing the various alchemic runes and symbols.</p><p>"The argent dragon, representing silver, femininity and the moon, boosts the energy conduction capabilities of the silver." Ed lectured, drawing the said designs. “In my country, this also symbolizes the dominance of Alchemy in our military, which is why it’s on our national flag. Each alchemic amplifier will have a corresponding rune or symbol, like the argent dragon, that will boost the energy conduciveness of that particular material.”</p><p>Ed took the pocket watch from the desk and hooked it back onto his belt. “Of the amplifier materials, many have various benefits and drawbacks. Silver is the most reliable and predictable of amplifiers. It won’t let the amateurs like yourselves transmute lead into gold, but it will lessen fatigue and boost Alchemic power in a pinch.”</p><p>He flipped over the page once again, drawing the next symbols. “Next is gold of course, represented by the aureate gryphon. Now, gold represents the sun and masculinity in alchemy. Gold will amplify power much more readily than silver, however gold also is much harder to use as an amplifier. It is the most stubborn of the amplifiers, and thus difficult to get it to work consistently for amplification. It isn’t the most reliable to use, as one successful use once does not guarantee you’ll be able to coax an amplification out of it again the next time you choose to use it. So although it will amplify your ability more dramatically, it may only be effective once in a blue moon.”</p><p>Now well practised with the workings of Ed’s classes, Fred, George and Harry were deep into their note-taking, trying to keep up with the nonstop lecture their professor was giving. Harry was skipping drawing out the runes and only noting the names, however. He could always look up what the runes looked like later by referencing a book.</p><p>Ed flipped the page yet again, ploughing through the material mercilessly. “Finally, there is mercury. Known in its heyday as quicksilver, mercury is the most volatile, unpredictable, but powerful amplifier known to Alchemists. There’s a reason almost every recipe for the Elixir of Life historically used mercury in some form or another. Represented by the caduceus, the obvious drawback to using mercury is that it’s disastrously toxic. Mercury is also prone to alchemic rebounds, and difficult to use without it melting on you, due to the fact it’s a liquid at temperatures above negative thirty-nine degrees celsius. If an average alchemist chose mercury as an alchemic amplifier, they might be able to do all sorts of taxing branches of alchemy, such as medical alchemy, chimaera fusions or botanical alchemy, as long as they still understand the theory behind their work and simply lack raw power. The biggest risk would be, of course, risking a rebound costing the user his life.”</p><p>“Sir,” Harry interrupted, his hand raised in the air. The twins paused in their note-taking to look at him curiously.</p><p>“Yes, Potter?” Ed asked.</p><p>Harry hesitated, unsure if he should contradict the professor. “Isn’t there one more amplifier out there? A friend of mine read about it in our first year from a book in the restricted section of the library. The most powerful product of Alchemy, the Philosopher’s Stone?”</p><p>Ed stiffened, as the twins looked at the professor. All the students of Hogwarts had heard various rumours after the Philosopher’s Stone was stored at Hogwarts. As far as everyone had heard, however, it was only used to produce the Elixir of Life potion. Nobody had ever said anything about its alchemic capabilities. Ed himself was given a brief rundown by Dumbledore when he had been assigned this job the history of the stone in the school, and it’s owner Nicholas Flamel. </p><p>“Well, it’s hardly an Alchemy course if we don’t talk about the history of Alchemy isn’t it?” Ed joked grimly. “Yes, historically, it was the goal of every alchemist to synthesize the most powerful amplifier of all. An amplifier that is rumoured to be so powerful, it would grant eternal life, and allow an alchemist to bypass the law of Equivalent Exchange altogether.”</p><p>The three students sat up at that. All through the year, they had been drilled over and over again that the Law of Equivalent Exchange governed all Alchemy, no exceptions. But the Philosopher’s Stone could let an alchemist do anything?</p><p>“The Philosopher’s Stone,” Ed revealed. “It was the fairy tale only the most foolhardy alchemist chases. Represented by the union of sun and moon, male and female, light and dark, in other words, the perfect being.” Ed drew the runes of the sun and moon merged into one, the image of a woman overlaying the image of a man, and the argent dragon overlaying the aureate gryphon. </p><p>“The Philosopher's Stone allows any alchemist to bypass the law of Equivalent Exchange without penalty. It is stable, powerful, and above all else, costly.” Ed surmised. “Many alchemists have wasted away their lives chasing the stone. It almost exclusively only exists in theory, and can never be allowed to be created. Some things are better left to live on only in myths.” Edward whispered. “The history of the Philosopher’s Stone is steeped in blood. And you’d do well to not dwell on it any longer today.” he flipped the pages of the paper pad closed with finality.</p><p>“So, let’s get to talking about how to actually create an amplifier.”</p><p>Ed was never above cheating. He had cheated at everything from cards, to feats of strength at Rush Valley, to cheating Yoki out of the Yousewell town deed. So it was no weight on his conscience when Harry walked away from that classroom with a ‘lucky charm’ with an Earth array engraved on the stamp. If Fleur and Krum were going through private tutoring with their headmasters and headmistresses, Ed had no problems giving Harry pointers for simple alchemy tricks to use against a dragon. After all, Ed had first-hand experience.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, so it's not like Harry will now ONLY use Alchemy in the First Task, rather now he can throw up a rock shield instead of just diving behind some rocks like in the movie in the Dragon Arena, and if he's trying to get the dragon off her eggs he can try and throw her off by having the ground come up to try throw her off the eggs in the book. With regards to the movie when he gets stuck on the exterior of the castle he can transmute himself a ledge to walk along to reach his stuck broomstick. And he can slow down the dragon from clawing his face off by transmuting the rocky floor into cement. I mean the dragon will still break free and try to swipe at him, but it'll be slowed down from doing so you know? So in my story, Alchemy will just enhance the First Task, not outright provide an alternative solution for Harry.</p><p>About amplifiers.<br/>So, in 2003 the story is that State Alchemist watches can amplify the State Alchemists ability because of embedded Red Stones (AKA false Philosopher Stones), and in Mangahood its just a badge. Well, I kind of liked the idea of Amplifiers being used as a cheat for less skilled Alchemists like the demonstrations in 2003 where some of the applicants for the State Alchemists' exams would be utterly exhausted after demonstrating their abilities could have that burden lessened if they had access to an amplifier of sorts.</p><p>The symbols used in this chapter were created with creative liberties in mind, as in FMA often all sorts of symbols, such as astrological signs that are associated with elements, would be used in more complex circles like the classic human transmutation circle used in all the FMA merch ever. Also I was wondering why the argent dragon might've been used in the design for State Alchemist watches.</p><p>To be honest, only the Argent Dragon is a true rune that is used in FMA, but I knew the gryphon is used to symbolize gold, but I don't think there's an actual symbol called the "aureate gryphon." with Aureate meaning 'made of gold.'<br/>I chose the caduceus for mercury because obviously, the Roman god carries a caduceus.<br/>In Mangahood they talk a lot about how the 'perfect being' is associated with the philosopher's stone, with the dub example being the perfect human is the fusion of man and woman, sun and moon, masculine and feminine, so I went with the Xerxes mural as inspiration for runes symbolizing the Philosopher's Stone.<br/>All the cost/benefits of the amplifiers I just made up myself, none of it has any basis on FMA lore or HP lore, but I wanted a 'group' of amplifiers that wasn't just "Silver" and "philosopher's stone" with no in between, but needed to give reasons as to why they wouldn't use any of the other amplifiers, so I just made it that silver was the most reliable and most consistent, but gave the least benefits, so gold was unsuseable and mercury was the most unstable.</p><p>Also, I never intended to keep Ed's metal arms a 'secret', just not openly on display to avoid awkward questions early on. I know he doesn't like being gawked at in Rush Valley like a side show, but I always liked that scene where he shows off his arm proudly to the kid on the train saying "cooler than skin, right?" showing a willingness to make himself not seem scary to kids. And the students at Hogwards are kids, not adults wanting to poke and prod at his automail. So yeah, also rewrote that scene a few times.</p>
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